Okami Amaterasu
by Starsister12
Summary: The adventures of Amaterasu as told from her point of view. Follows the events of the game "Okami." CONTAINS SPOILERS! Ammy/Waka pairing.
1. First Scroll: Awakening

FIRST SCROLL: AWAKENING

_One hundred years is a long time. And yet, somehow, it is also no time at all. I do not remember everything when I awakened. But I remembered enough. I knew who I was: Amaterasu, a goddess. _The _goddess, if one can pardon my pride. For the gods are proud, you know. _

_I did not realize that I was asleep. I only knew peace. Quiet. Darkness. One would think that darkness would offend me or harm me, but no. This was a healing quiet. I remembered pain, the pain of wounds, the pain of loss, the pain of falling, the pain of poison. I had been hurt long before I appeared as Shiranui the White Wolf. Those hurts were the ones that forced me to succumb to the Eight-Headed Dragon. I still hurt from those old wounds. From a betrayal._

_I remembered nothing more than that…at least at first. I was pulled from my dark, safe, quiet cocoon when Sakuya called unto me and shown the bright light of my Divine Mirror upon me. I stretched and shook myself, feeling the heavy, comforting weight of stone shake free like water from my fur… _

…_Fur?_

_I opened my eyes and realized that my stone haven, my refuge, my prison, was still in the form of Shiranui, and, being called forth through a statue, I was now trapped within that same form of a wolf that I had taken so long ago. The bodies of wolves are ideal for running, for finding, and for battle. But it had been so long since I had stood as my true self. I yearned for it, to walk upon two legs once again. But I could feel that I was weak. Strong in comparison to many, but weak in comparison to the power I had once commanded. The power of light, of the sun, still flowed through my veins, but all of the brushes I had collected, all of the art I had learned, the skills I had mastered…were gone. I could sense them, so they had not been destroyed. But they were no longer part of me. They had developed separate selves in my absence, separate existences, perhaps creating their own legends. Good for them, but their departure left me more vulnerable than I cared to admit. Suddenly, I was glad to have my wolf's body. _

_Sakuya spoke with flowery language, but I paid little heed. Instead, I lay down and rested my head on my paws. She seemed surprised at my indifference, but really, for a tree spirit, she was very chatty. I did not need to hear her eloquent pleas for my aid; as the mother goddess, I was already committed to helping free the land from this curse. I could see and sense the darkness around us. I could smell Orochi's stench. Some fool had removed the seal. The one thing any deity can count on is the curiosity, greed, and stupidity of humans. There would be a great deal for me to do in the coming weeks. A great deal of it would probably involve fighting. Something in me stirred eagerly at the thought of battle, then shied away. Something about the idea of battle made me ache inside. _

_Suddenly a small, green lump came flying out of Sakuya's robe. I jumped to my feet, expecting an attack, but it was only a small bug. Or rather, a Poncle, one of the small bug-like wee folk of the forest. It was odd to see one this far south. Another memory stirred and fled. I growled in frustration. Would my memory continue to do this, taunt me with a vision, then flee? The little green man called himself Issun and leapt onto my nose. The bouncing annoyed me. I shook my head. His chatter annoyed me even more. Like so many men of my acquaintance, human, spirit, demon, or deity, he tried to make up in volume what he lacked in size. I snapped my jaws around him, intending to swallow him, but a sharp poke from the hilt of what felt like a tiny sword made me think better of it. I spat out the little pest before he could think to use his tiny weapon to carve out my insides. I must admit, I felt some amusement at his change from green to red as he bounced about in a fury. It is just so funny to see such rage expressed so ineffectually by something so tiny. _

_Orochi's roar shook the earth. I laid back my ears. He was angry. And hungry. His touch blanketed the land, and yet he had no made an appearance. I wondered why. Was part of the seal still in effect? Sakuya, exhausted and weak, retreated back into the tree that housed her spirit. Somehow she had shielded her village of Kamiki within a special fruit. It would have to be cut down to release the village. I growled again, frustrated. If I had my powers, or could jump higher, I would have no problem cutting down the fruit. As it was…I would have to do this the hard way. And it appeared that I would have company. Issun planted himself on my head and refused to budge. Resigned to his presence, at least for now, I crossed the gateway at the base of Sakuya's tree, hoping to find something that would help me. _

_Sakuya was an old tree spirit, despite the youthful appearance of her human vision-construct. As such, she was connected to the spirit world in a way that allowed for a passage between Nippon and a portion of the Heavenly River of Stars. It was possible for one or two of my brushes to have come to this place seeking refuge. And I was right. Yomigami, the Dragon Brush Spirit of Restoration had come to hide among the stars. Issun seemed surprised at my ability to complete Yomigami's constellation, even disbelieving. For a wandering artist and collector of legends and information, Issun was woefully unaware that he stood in the presence of a goddess. Or rather, kept hopping up and down upon the head of a goddess._

_I think that the most frustrating part about being a wolf is that one cannot talk. And others talk far too much. Issun insisted on talking to me as if I were a dumb animal or a tiny human child, speaking of things that I already knew or could easily figure out without his dubious "help." His need to state the obvious is, in a word, annoying. But since I could not speak myself, I feared that, sometimes, he might have to do my talking for me, assuming he did not mistake my intentions or feelings on matters. I sighed. Somehow, I knew that this was going to be a very, very long trip. _


	2. Second Scroll: Revival of Kamiki

SECOND SCROLL: REVIVAL OF KAMIKI

_Even though I found the second brush, Tachigami, the Rat Brush God of the Power Slash Technique, it still grieved me to see Nagi's tomb. I remembered how bravely he had fought against Orochi, and how I had stepped in to save him at the cost of my own mortal form. The memory of pain did not grieve me, but I had been forced into hibernation after that battle and never saw what became of Nagi and his love Nami. I hope that they found happiness and peace together._

_Armed with the Power Slash, I was able to cut free the fruit that housed the village of Kamiki. Sakuya's power was released in a wave of light, greenery, and cherry blossoms. It swept aside Orochi's stench…at least for the present. When the tide of power receded, I could still sense the presence of Orochi's curse and swarms of demons creeping closer to Kamiki. They had been temporarily frightened off by the burst of Sakuya's power, and a few of the weakest ones had been killed. But the curse remained and they persisted. I growled, hackles up, and loped down into the village._

_I could tell that something was wrong. Everything looked…green, like I was observing the world through a green glass bottle. The sky was black as far as I could see, and not the natural black of night. There were no stars, no moon, and no sun. This was not normal. At a fork in the path, I saw something strange. It looked like the statue of a man playing a flute with a basket on his head. Issun claimed that he didn't remember a statue being here, but we should continue on to the village. I sniffed the statue. It was cold, but the scent of a human lingered around it. Uneasy, I continued into the village. Everything was tinted the same eerie green color and all of the villagers were statues. I did not know how this had happened; Sakuya's power should have protected the villagers. I could feel the power of the sun coursing through my veins and had an idea. I ran to the highest point in the village, a ceremonial stage, and called forth my power of the sun._

_Light poured out of the sky, driving away the darkness. The land returned to a more normal hue and my keen ears could detect the sounds of humans moving, talking, returning to their daily lives. I doubt they were even aware of the time they had spent encased within the fruit. And even if they did remember, humans have a remarkable talent for self-deception._

_Suddenly, an old, creaky voice spoke behind me. I turned…and felt another stab of familiarity mixed with grief. The old headman behind me was not the same as the one in Nagi's time (his scent was different) but they were probably of the same family. I remembered the previous headman's hand gently stroking me as Orochi's poison finished its work. But that hand had been so gentle and soothing…My nostalgia was broken by Mr. Orange's comment that I looked similar to Shiranui, but did not look as smart. Not as smart?! My gentle thoughts evaporated and I crouched growling. How dare this old man mock me, a god! Could he not see that I _was_ Shiranui, reborn? Amaterasu the Sun Goddess, Mother of All Things, reborn? Insolence! I had returned from my slumber to aid these people and they returned my kindness by insulting my intelligence?! _

_I was unable to give Mr. Orange the thrashing he deserved. Several smaller demons had seen us and leapt down to attack. I grabbed Mr. Orange by the scruff of his kimono and tossed him out of the way. When I fought demons, it was best not to have anyone else within range of my beads and mirror. The demons were small, green, and carried flutes. Like all the lesser _oni_, they wore paper masks over their faces. I did not give them a chance to surround me. My Divine Instrument leapt forward, whirling. I slashed them to pieces before they had a chance to scream. Pitiful creatures…but an easy kill is not to be taken for granted. There would be more powerful and tougher demons later, I was sure._

_I loped down the carved steps into the village. I passed leafless trees on my way down, but was unable to revive them. The brush technique I needed was missing. More frustration. Perhaps when I found the brush, I could come back and begin healing the land. I could at least feed the animals I passed. That was some small comfort. I had to remind them that their gods had not forsaken them and that better times would come. They accepted my gifts with gratitude._

_The village had not really changed since the last time I walked its paths. Only the people in it had. New names, new faces. One of those was a little boy with his dog. Children have more faith than adults; he saw me as a white wolf, but knew that I was something more. He challenged me to dig up ten turnips from his mother's garden without being hit. Issun wasn't interested, but the idea amused me. (And I was still feeling a little resentful towards Mr. Orange.) Ah, it was a fun game! I could outrun the boy's mother easily. I dug up a turnip, ran around the garden until she was out of breath, then dig up another. Oh, how she huffed and puffed! The tenth turnip was of an unusual shape, so I pulled it out and took it to the boy as proof. He was utterly astonished, and didn't seem to mind that he and his dog had been beaten. Instead, it took it as a new challenge to beat me. I smiled, wished him luck with a bark, and went on my way. That was a good little game. It refreshed me, made me feel alive and real again._

_I padded on through the village. A gentle humming caught my attention. I turned and there, crouched among the rice patties, was a young woman. She looked so much like Nami that I sprang over the fence and walked to her immediately. She looked up from her work and gave a little cry of joy. Utterly fearless, she began to stroke my fur. Ahhh…her hands felt nice, strong, but gentle, the hands of a kind person accustomed to hard work. Her name was Kushi. She was sweet like Nami, but her scent and youth showed her to be different. I felt a twinge of sadness similar to what I felt in Nagi's cave. So many mortals I had once known were dead. A god is supposed to be above such things, for becoming too entangled with mortals is dangerous. But I am Mother of All, and I cannot help but feel compassion for my tiny, short-lived, earth-bound children._

_But then Kushi mentioned that a descendent of Nagi lived in the village. A man by the name of Susano. My ears pricked up. One of Nagi's and Nami's bloodline lived? That was good. Perhaps this Susano would be able to aid me in my quest. Issun was of little tangible help and it could be nice to have a real companion. I left Kushi to her rice-tending and ran to the house that she said belonged to Susano. It was easily the largest house in the village, as befitting the seed of a hero. While some parts of the house had been repaired over the years, I still recognized it. Nagi had once lived here. I walked in slowly, not sure of the reception I would receive. _

_To my surprise, the room was empty. There were some straw practice dummies and the ill-kept remnants of weapons, but no human occupant. The room smelled of sweat and sake, and there was a dreadful rumbling roaring noise coming from under a boulder. Curious, I slashed the boulder in two. It revealed a ladder going down into the underground portion of the house. The sound was louder now…it sounded like…snoring? Suddenly, I did not want to go down and find the source of the snores. Perhaps it would be better for me to go on my own for now. I do not think I wanted to admit to myself that I was afraid to see what the descendent of Nagi had descended to. I always hoped that each generation would be more noble than the previous, but human temperaments often run counter to that expectation. But at least I hope for better. Some gods only expect the worst of humanity. _

_However, my ability to explore was quickly curtailed. The narrow passage out of the valley that Kamiki village was nestled in was blocked by a massive boulder. A single fat merchant was trying to push the boulder out of the way. A futile effort; even I would be unable to budge this much rock. And it was far too large for my Power Slash Technique. I would need something to boost my power, a channel of some kind…then the merchant asked me to fetch Susano. But of course! As a descendant of Nagi, we would share a bond of blood. And if he was also a swordsman, then I would be able to channel my brush technique through him, magnifying the effect. Of course, that would mean going down into that sinking hole in the floor… I sighed and ran back into the village. I could not put this off. I needed to reach the Shinshu Fields and go on to the rest of Nippon. Kamiki Village had been restored, but I could feel Orochi's curse still festering throughout the land. _

_I returned to Susano's house and jumped down the ladder. The stink of sake mixed with the acrid smell of burning torches and the deep, damp odor of the earth. A man was lying on a bed. He was the source of the deafening snores. I held my breath and slammed my head into his as hard as I could. He bolted upright with a snorting cry of surprise. His hair stuck up on either side of his head, like a pair of horns or long ears. I sat down and cocked my head to one side._

_So this was Susano. He reeked of sake, but underneath that was a scent that was familiar. Nagi. This brash drunkard really was a descent of Nagi. I wagged my tail, endeavoring to look friendly. It occurred to me that there was some advantage to being in a wolf's form. While humans might not respect me, they would be more honest. No one expects a dumb beast to understand them, even though some might speak to them in such a way, they do not believe in their hearts that the animal understands._

_It took far longer than I anticipated to drag him from his hole. And then even longer to convince him to even attempt to attack the boulder. First a nap, then sake, then we both practiced our attacks when he cut down his straw targets and then a smaller rock. I tried channeling my power through his old wooden sword to slice through his targets. And it worked! He seemed stunned by the success of his attack on the smaller rock, so he immediately raced to the great boulder and attacked. I barely made it in time to add my own power to the attack, turning the once-impassable stone into powder. I hoped that this success would wake Susano up and send him back into Kamiki to get sober and straighten out the farce that was his current life. Instead, the boost of confidence sent him rushing through the pass and out of sight into Shinshu Field. _

_I was so stunned at his reaction that I did not think to follow him until he was out of sight. I shook my head, sighed, and padded forward through the pass at a more leisurely pace. Perhaps this was cruel, but Susano did exhibit enough fighting skill to deal with the smaller demons that might appear. If he touched the cursed zone, he would be turned to stone until I dispelled it, and I did not think him stupid enough to run deliberately into a group of demons or the cursed zone. He was a descendant of Nagi. If he ever wanted to live up to the name, he would have to earn at least part of it on his own, since he lacked the inherent skills of his ancestor. _

_Before I could walk very far, Sakuya appeared. She was fainter now than she was before. She pleaded with me to go and revive the Guardian Saplings spread throughout Nippon. They were part of her, roots that had sprung into the sunlight, spreading her power and protection throughout the land. Interesting…I had taken Sakuya for just another wood spirit, albeit an old one, but apparently she had more power and influence than I expected. I had not seen this at first due to her great weakness. Issun was making rude quips, so I put my paw on him to silence the little letch. Apparently he did not see how much power Sakuya had already spent protecting her home village. If something was not done soon, she would perish. As she faded, I released Issun and continued walking through the pass. It took him a little time to catch up, and when he did, he hopped right back onto my head, clinging to my fur like a flea and muttering to himself. _


	3. Third Scroll: Shinshu Field

THIRD SCROLL: SHINSHU FIELD

_When I stepped out onto the Shinshu Field…I froze in horror. What had once been the most beautiful field in all of Nippon was now a sickly wasteland. Much of the land was covered in a roiling black and red smoke that undulated with sinister purpose. Demon Scrolls, tall and green, flickering with blue and purple flames, floated above the blasted landscape. What little grass remained outside the cursed zones was weak and sickly-looking. The trees lining the entrance to the Plain were all blackened and withered. The smell of death hung in the air. _

_I cautiously approached the cursed zone. My paws stopped just inches from the roiling smoke. I eyed it warily. Its mere proximity sent chills of ice down my spine and prickled my skin with fiery pinpricks. Hopefully I would not have to go through any of the zone to reach Sakuya's saplings, but if I had to, I needed to know how strong it was inside. Minor cursed zones I could handle, but this one was very large. I took a breath and stepped inside._

_Pain screamed through my body. It was worse than I had feared. Inside, the sky was red and the land was covered in grey smoke. The stench of evil was unbearable. Words of cursing, death, despair, and damnation floated, twisting in the bloody sky, and the air was filled with the sound of the land wailing. I could feel my own power being leeched away by the cursed zone. A few more moments and I would succumb. It took all of strength to step backwards out of the zone. _

_My legs trembled with weakness. I collapsed on the ground outside, panting. Now that I was outside the cursed zone, I could feel my strength returning to me. I soaked it up gratefully. If Sakuya's Guardian Saplings lay anywhere inside the cursed zone, I would be unable to do anything. As I was, without my Celestial Brushes, I was next to powerless in the face of this cursed zone. Hopefully Sakuya's power inherent in the saplings would leave them untouched by the curse. I ran on, avoiding the Demon Scrolls floating past. Those were small fish. I would deal with them after the larger cursed zone had been dispersed. _

_Issun saw the sapling before I did. Sharp eyes for such a little bug. It stood on the banks of the Hana River, behind a torii gate. The sapling stood outside the cursed zone, but it had clearly been affected by it. The sapling was bent and withered, barely clinging to life. I could hear its mournful cries, begging for its mother Sakuya to help it. And I knew that I had the power to give the sapling strength enough to bloom once more…but I lacked the brush. I looked up into the sky, but there was no sign of a constellation signaling the presence of a Brush God. Very well, perhaps there was another place I needed to go, but it had to be close by. The cursed zone had enveloped most of the Shinshu Field. Until it was dispelled, I could not aid the rest of Nippon. And there was supposed to be another sapling nearby._

_I turned towards the mouth of the Hana River. It flowed out of a cave. On the other side was Hana Valley, home to an immense waterfall that fed the Hana River. But the river itself looked as if it were composed of brown sludge, heavy, odious, and polluted. Oddly enough, a small hut stood near the mouth of the cave that was untouched by the cursed zone. A man appeared to be…chopping wood? How odd. Did he not see the cursed zone around him? Why had he not fled, as any sane human would do? Curious, I loped over._

_He seemed a little dim, but was plainly aware of the cursed zone around him. He dared not approach his workshop, which was on the other side of the river in the middle of the cursed zone. He could not see my true self, but was one of those people who felt more kinship with animals than with people (which was probably why he chose to stay in his home, rather than retreating into Kamiki Village.) Also, he mentioned that Susano had come running past and into Hana Valley. Well, that I had not expected. Susano the Drunkard, charging into danger? Perhaps seeing the massive boulder fall away from his wooden blade at the entrance to Kamiki Village had given him some confidence. Hopefully his fighting skills could match that, otherwise I had just encouraged him to run to his death. Issun still perched on my head, I ran into the cave._

_The stench nearly bowled me over. I emerged on the other side of the cave into watery sunlight…if "light" it could be called. Everything was brown, stale, and decaying. I gagged. What had once been a beautiful valley was now overrun with Orochi's curse. Trying to hold my breath, I padded forward. _

_Just a short way up the path, I saw a group of demons dancing around a fire. They were rude, monkey-ish things, low-class imps playing flutes, banging drums, strumming strings and slapping their rears with gleeful abandon. The sight of them in the mortal realm, delighting in their filth and destruction disgusted me. Demons had their place in the order of things, that was why they had been created; but the balance had become upset. Their presence confirmed it. They had to go. I lunged forward with a howl. The demons sprang up, startled. They grabbed their instruments and tried to regroup for an attack. I sliced through them before they had the chance. The biggest of them, a gorilla-like imp popped up from underground with a massive drum in an attempt to pound me into dust. I quickly leapt over its head. Confused, it sat there while I slashed through it from behind. _

_Flowers started to spring up from the ground as it was purified, but the curse held on too strongly, and the flowers withered. If I wanted to purify Hana Valley, I would need to help Sakuya's sapling first. Only with the support of the Guardian Sapling would I be able to revive the valley. Even the trees had been twisted here. Some were stunted and dead, but a few that once may have been fruit trees had become more malevolent, hurling smoking, curse-laden fruits at me as I passed. Luckily the trees were slow enough that I could either evade their attack or reflect it with my Power Slash. The desecration made the skin beneath my fur crawl and my hackles rise. I silently promised to return and purify them. As I continued, I noticed an old drawing on the wall of the cave passage, showing the sun shining down onto a crystal orb, which refracted the light onto growing flora. So that was why Hana Valley held such a sense of power, cursed though it was. Places of worship and praise either began as places of power or became places of power through worship._

_Susano was up ahead, trying to push past boulders that had fallen across the path. Water trickled from underneath, so I assumed that the source of Hana Valley's waterfalls lay ahead. Susano was surprised to see me. He claimed that beyond this wall was his secret training ground where he would go to hide. I cocked my head to one side and whined in surprise. Susano quickly corrected "hide" to "train." I sighed. His bravado after the opening of the pass to Kamaki Village had certainly worn off quickly. I cut through the rock for him, although, once again, he mistook my own power for his and barreled on. I shook my head and followed, a little more cautiously. This was a tunnel after all, and I did not care as much for enclosed spaces. Plus, the close proximity of water made me a touch nervous. As a god whose primary power was fire and light, water and darkness were my opposite. Swimming…was not my strong suit. At the end of the tunnel was a shrine-like area with tall stone pillars, a now-dry fountain, and a small glowing plant. I walked closer and sniffed it. It was faint, but it had the same scent as Sakuya. This must be one of her saplings! Poor thing, it was trying so hard to grow, but the curse pressed down on it too much. I was surprised that it was still alive. But it needed sunlight and the focusing power of the crystal in order to flourish. _

_I found the crystal in Susano's training area…but it was in use. A rather large bear had somehow gotten into the cave and was balancing on top of the crystal. While asleep. I admit, the sight was something I had not expected. Apparently, Susano wasn't expecting it either. He pulled out his wooden sword and charged (although why he had to destroy the torches in the cave first, I do not know), striking the bear on the head. The bear collapsed to the floor, unharmed and still snoring. Bolstered by this victory, Susano laughed and ran out again…apparently to do battle with more ferocious sleeping bears. I shook my head and nudged the now-free crystal orb back towards the shrine where it belonged. Orbs are very unwieldy objects, especially when they are twice your size and you have no hands. It took some time, but I managed to roll it back to its place onto a pool of water at the top of the stone shrine. _

_The moment the orb touched the water, a fountain sprang up, raising the orb into the air. I looked up at the sky, feeling the heavenly fire burn in the veins, and called forth the sun. Light poured down, shining through the orb and onto the tiny, brave sapling. In an instant it rose from the ground into a tree nearly as big as the one in Shinshu Field. However, like its kin, this Guardian Sapling was not strong enough to bloom while smothered in Orochi's stench. A light shimmering sound made me look into the sky again. Another constellation had appeared. Hope leapt in my chest. Perhaps this brush would help me…I completed the constellation and a bright-eyed monkey with a tall flute appeared. The first of the Flora Triumvirate, Sakigami, had appeared, returning to me the power of Bloom which makes all things grow. I breathed a deep sigh of relief. At last I could end the suffering of the trees. But first, the Sapling._

_I encircled the Sapling with a single brushstroke, pouring the life-giving power of Bloom into it. Flowers sprang from the branches and life surged back into the bark. The Sapling gathered the power and spread it like a way through Hana Valley. The brown haze blew away, and crystal blue waters cascaded from the heights, washing the brown sludge from sight. I showed my teeth in a smile as Orochi's stench vanished and clean air filled my lungs. Like Kamiki Village, Hana Valley was free. A few of the mutated trees and patches of ground needed to be cleansed as I left, but with Bloom, it was an easy task. The relief and praise from the trees gave me new strength. As I left Hana Valley, I kept an eye on the river to make sure it ran clear into Shinshu Field. The Field itself was still heavy with the curse, but the river remained unaffected. Good. Now I had to revive the second Guardian Sapling._


	4. Fourth Scroll: Lakes and Fireworks

FOURTH SCROLL: LAKES AND FIREWORKS

_After the clarity of Hana Valley, the curse on Shinshu Field felt even more wrong and oppressive. What a difference a few simple steps could make! Fur bristling, I raced to the Sapling and unveiled the power of my brush. The Sapling responded, blooms sprouting and sending a wave of cherry blossoms over the land. The power swept the curse free in a wave of flowers and greenery. Black and red smoke rose high, then dissipated as the Sapling's power reasserted itself over Shinshu Field. I shook myself, as if shedding water from my coat, to banish the last lingering, ugly twinges of the curse. Then I checked on the Nameless Man, who was very pleased to see the Field return to normal, the one stone statue I had seen near the edge of the curse, which turned out to be an enterprising merchant, and a mail runner, who still suffered from lingering effects of the curse until I banished it. Everything seemed to be in order…but then I saw it. _

_It looked like a small gateway to a shrine, but one that was old, broken, and run down. It was dirty, tarnished, surrounded by noxious green-black smoke and the same odd green spirit flames that accompanied Demon Scrolls. This…this was a Devil Gate, a miniature passageway into a tiny corner of the demon world. I would have to pass through these gates and kill the demons on the other side to dispel the gate's hold on the mortal realm. Once the demons were dead, the gate would dissipate and the land beneath it would be revived. Even with the revival of the Guardian Sapling, demons still had a hold on the land. I snarled and charged through the gate of the ghastly shrine. _

_A red wall sprang up around me as I entered. A barrier. Until I destroyed my foes, or they destroyed me, neither of us could leave. The demon imps sprang out of swirls of smoke, blowing darts through their flutes and strumming sharp, painful notes on their lutes. I tore through their instruments and their bodies as if they were made of paper. I was furious at this blatant attempt to gain a foothold in the mortal realm. This was not their place. They defied order, and as such they would feel the wrath of the sun goddess! And they were easy prey, such easy kills. Diminished as I was, they still could not overcome me. Their torn bodies dissolved into flower petals. The barrier lowered and I stood alone on newly cleansed ground. _

_Devil Gates were scattered across Shinshu Field and I systematically destroyed them all. It took most of the day. By the time I was done, night was falling and the moon began to rise. I loped towards the upper reaches of Shinshu Field. No Devil Gates were in sight here…but I stopped in awe. A vast expanse of water clad in a shimmering scarf of moonlight lay spread out before me. The tallest torii gate I had seen stood as a dark brooding shadow, guarding the border between land and lake. For it was a lake rather than an inland sea; the lack of a saltwater smell confirmed it. Harumi Lake. The waters that cradled the Moon Cave, resting place of Orochi, the Eight-Headed Serpent. My doom. Despite the stark, rippling beauty of the night, I shivered. I remembered the pain of that long night and was not eager to repeat it. How much of my life before this mirrored my current circumstances? Had I traveled the land, freeing it from demons and curses before my fatal confrontation with Orochi? Or had I lived somewhere else, some place beyond mortal lands? I gazed heavenward seeking…I don't know what. An answer, perhaps. _

_The stars gave me no answer, but a sudden sparking and explosion did. The bright flash came to my left. A hut crouched on the edge of a cliff overlooking Harumi Lake. A pair of bright white flames jutted from the roof like blazing horns. They did not flicker like normal flames, but fizzed and sparked. The smell of gunpowder floated on the night breeze. Of course! They were fireworks! My ears pricked up with eagerness and I walked down a flight of rickety wooden steps towards the house. Many spirits found the human use of gunpowder disturbing and often painfully loud, but I enjoyed fireworks displays. As I approached the strange little house, part of me wondered how I knew that I loved fireworks even though I had no memory of seeing them._

_The owner of the hut was a slightly crazed-looking man with an odd turban and a long pipe named Tama. He was trying to create a special firework, and yet his formula for crafting the explosion was incomplete. I knew nothing of the mixing and measuring of gunpowder and I kept a wary eye on the baskets and barrels of fireworks. Being around a man who kept a pipe lit around such explosives did not seem wise. But before I backed out of the hut, I noticed something odd. Tacked to his wall was a scroll or parchment of some kind. It had a drawing on it. With that drawing was a mark that seemed familiar. Curious, I drew on my power and mimicked the mark, a circle with a diagonal slash through the top like a fruit. Or a firework. To both mine and Tama's surprise, a large round orange firework appeared in his mixture of gunpowder, lit and ready to blow. Tama let out a whoop of joy. I raced outside just in time to see the firework display light up the sky. I danced on my hind legs, barking excitedly, since I could not dance or sing or shout with glee as I would have liked. Tama's work was well done. And thanks to his wall hanging and fireworks, I was able to attain another Celestial Brush technique: the Cherry Bomb, kept by the boar god Bakugami. Now obstacles and demons alike could be blown to pieces at my leisure. _

_The fireworks display now over, I turned to climb back up the stairs to Shinshu Field. Something caught my eye. I paused and looked out at Harumi Lake again. Something seemed…different. Then, it hit me. The Moon Cave! It was gone! A large, dark lump of rock should have been sitting out in the lake, connected to Shinshu Field by a small spit of land. But there was nothing! The path ended a short way past the torii gate! My hackles rose. What was going on? I raced up the stairs, across the ridge, and down the steep slope towards the narrow beach. _

_At the edge of the water was a small shrine. I poked my nose inside and saw a Shinto priest, wide awake and standing in front of the shrine, waving a stick with paper streamers attached and chanting. I whined, hoping to get his attention. He paused, hearing me. Like the other villagers, he took me for a white dog. He stroked my fur with shaking hands and bemoaned the fact that the Moon Cave had vanished and demons were wrecking havoc in Shinshu Field. And it had to happen now, the one time Tao Master Waka had to return to the capital city. My ears pricked up at the name. My heart skipped a beat. I was surprised. I examined my memory, looking for anything associated with the name "Waka." I found nothing but a deep ache. Confused, I retreated from the trembling priest back into the cool night air. _

_The torii gate loomed above me, somehow ominous now rather than comforting. Coming to a decision, I ran along the path leading out to the water. As I passed under the gate, I felt a tingling along my skin, making my fur stand on end. The light around me became the same eerie glowing green present when I passed the gate leading to Sakuya, a sign that I had somehow passed into the spirit world. A few steps farther and the familiar shape of the Moon Cave appeared. Everything was silent and the sky was black as spilled ink. I ran along the path towards the cave. Issun chattered nervously, but I paid him no heed. I knew that I could not fight Orochi in my current state, but I had to see if he had indeed broken the seal and escaped the cave. _

_But when I reached the mouth of the Moon Cave, I stopped and stared in surprise. A shifting purple-hued mist covered the cave entrance. I poked at it curiously with my nose and leapt back with a yelp of pain. The mist was a barrier. That meant Orochi was still sealed inside. And yet he had revived and his evil miasma filled Nippon. If this barrier was present, how had the seal keeping Orochi dormant been broken? Unless this barrier had arisen after Orochi's revival…? I shook my head. At least the beast had not been able to escape yet. The barrier seemed strong; it would hold. I turned away from the cave and loped back to Shinshu Field. I still had a great deal of work to do. And I wanted to check on Sakuya to make sure she was recovering as the Guardian Saplings were revived. _


	5. Fifth Scroll: Cherry Blossom Dance

FIFTH SCROLL: CHERRY BLOSSOM DANCE

_When I returned to the village at dawn, the people seemed safe and much happier than when I had left. All of them were eagerly discussing when the tree Konohana would begin to bloom again. Apparently Old Man Orange was the one tasked with calling the tree back into its former flora glory. I was a little skeptical of this possibility and quietly went through the village reviving the withered trees. The air felt fresher when I was done, and while Sakuya's tree no longer looked sickly, it was still not blooming. Reviving her tree was more than I could handle alone, drained as I was, so I decided to seek out Old Man Orange and see if he could possibly be of some slight use. (I still remembered his insult to my intelligence. That's why called him "Old Man" now, rather than "Mister."Perhaps this would give me a chance to set the record straight.)_

_I found him on a platform high above the village drinking sake. The smell was so strong I had to stand upwind of him, lest I be overwhelmed by the fumes. According to the now-heavily inebriated Old Man Orange, a special dance powered by faith would restore Konohana to its former glory. I had my doubts about Old Man Orange being able to stand, let alone dance…but surprisingly, he did both. As his dance began, I could feel the power of his faith calling the faith of the entire village and channeling it towards Konohana. It would not be enough to influence the great tree…but if I combined their faith with my brushwork…perhaps there was a chance. And so as Old Man Orange danced, I drew. Feet and brush and faith flew and Konohana bloomed. _

_His dance concluded, Old Man Orange collapsed to the floor of the platform. I stepped closer, concerned that perhaps he had injured himself…but the loud snores told me he was fine. Exhausted and working on a hangover, but otherwise fine. I confess, I was impressed that he had managed to do so well. The scent of cherry blossoms became almost overwhelming as Sakuya appeared in the air above the platform. I could feel new life and power running through her. The renewal of the saplings and the Cherry Blossom Dance had given her back much of the strength that she had lost. She thanked the unconscious Mr. Orange and gave praise to me for aiding her. The flowery language still seemed a bit much…but her feelings were genuine, so I accepted. My task complete, I turned and loped back out of Kamiki Village and onto Shinshu Field. While the area around Kamiki was now free of Orochi's curse, other areas of Nippon were still affected. _

_Unfortunately, the only way out of Shinshu Field was by water. I could either try swimming Harumi Lake, which was out of the question, or follow the old ferry route to Agatha Forest. I chose the ferry route. Although there were no boats, Hasugami, the second god of the Flora Triumvirate, gave me the ability to create water lilies on the water and walk across them. It was a tedious process, especially since I was unable to keep more than three conjured water lilies in existence at the same time. Luckily the ferry route was not very long. I leapt off of the last lily pad onto a slab of rock. A small tunnel was before me. I could smell the heavy scent of decaying leaves, moss, tree bark, and water wafting from the entrance. And with it came more of Orochi's stench. I bared my teeth and walked through the tunnel into the forest. _


	6. Sixth Scroll: Flute In The Forest

SIXTH SCROLL: FLUTE IN THE FOREST

_I heard your flute in the woods. I heard it as soon as I stepped into the trees. It was…familiar. Haunting. Full of grief and joy and memories that I could not reach. I recognized your song, knew that I had heard it before…and then you appeared. Waka._

_You were a strange figure, twirling out of the trees like some strange bird with wings on its head rather than its back. I stared at you, taking in the details of your careless posture and laughing manner. Coral and violet kimono and hakama (a garish combination, yet somehow fitting), a green hawk-mask upon your head (perhaps attached to those flowing white wings), a wooden flute at your lips and white sword at your hip, and tall geta sandals that let you stride like a stork (although how you managed to balance like that, I do not know.) You glowed with power. You spoke of things I knew and some things I did not know. And then you drew your sword. It blazed white and had a strange, sharp scent, like concentrated lightning. Your attack was as swift, and I was hard-pressed to evade your sword. But the battle ended as abruptly as it began. You laughed and flew away leaving questions and confusion and an ache in my bones. _

_I will not say that I knew you, or even recognized you. Not by sight, or scent, or sound…but somehow, I knew that we had a connection. A past. You alluded to it, calling me "ma cherie" in such a familiar fashion. I know this must sound incredible; after all, I snarled when I saw you. When you attacked, I leapt into battle willingly, even eagerly. Somehow, from the moment I saw you, through our battle, and after you had disappeared from sight, I knew that you were an odd kind of ally…and yet I also knew you were a source of my pain. You were only testing me. I know that you did not use your full strength against me. You held back. Why? Because of a past that I do not remember? Yet you must…you seem to, and yet you never spoke straight out about it. Always jokes and riddles and poems. Yet there is something brittle in your laughter, something forced about your smile…_

_You said that you were disappointed in me, Waka. That my power had weakened during my slumber. I confess, when you leapt down from the tree and drew your sword, I thought I could take you, easily. But your skill with a blade, the sheer, overwhelming speed of your attacks…both left me struggling. For the first time since my awakening, I thought I might lose. Yet still, something in me knew that you had not pulled out all of your tricks, nor had you unleashed your full force. When you ceased to attack and spoke of Orochi's curse, I lay down and feigned simple disinterest, as if I had heard it all before. Some of your tale I had heard, but I did not know that someone had gone deliberately to the Moon Cave Shrine, stolen Nagi's sword, and then sealed Kamaki Village after retreating inside. Nor did I know that you had been charged with guarding the Shrine. Was it your barrier that my nose had met so painfully in that strange, green-lit twilight realm beyond the massive torii gate on Harumi Lake? Perhaps it was; you have strength enough for it. I also lay down because our battle had exhausted me, but I dared not let you see the depths of my weakness. But I watched you covertly and listened. So much about you seems familiar, and I am drawn to you, but I recall nothing. But I must recall my mission. The Forest must still be cleansed. Besides, I wish to know what business drew you from your duty into the capital city. _

_My desire to find out why, to understand who you are and your connection to me is what drives me now more than anything. A goddess is not supposed to grow attached to one person. It is rarely a good thing to have attention paid to one by a god. Good fortune and calamity follow in equal measure. Yet I am drawn to you, Waka. I cannot abandon my duties. I still must travel slowly, work my way across this land lifting Orochi's curse from it. I cannot go racing after you, as much as I would wish to. I have a feeling that you are watching me and that you will show yourself to me again. Issun does not like you. He thinks you are trouble, an enemy. I am not so sure. I do not remember you. I do not know if I can trust you. But I know, somehow, that you were important to me. _

_I realized I had been staring into the trees for longer than I had intended. I shook myself and padded along the path. Agata Forest was mostly covered by the curse; only part of the shoreline near the river was free of it. So far I had been lucky; each Guardian Sapling had been in an area that I could reach without going through the cursed zone. Would my luck continue to hold? I entered a dark cave to see if perhaps it would lead to the sapling. Instead, I found a strange hut with a massive deer-like skull adorning the front. The place was…eerie, but contained no hint of the curse, nor any other evil taint. But the air was…strange. There was a power here, but it felt…neutral, as if it were neither good nor evil. Merely a tool. I climbed the steps to the strange hut and entered._

_Inside the hut was a strange amalgamation of treasures and oddities. There were baskets, alters, odd dolls with large heads and flat faces, even a gong. At the far end of the room on a slightly raised platform behind a table was an old woman with a pair of antlers on her head. For a moment I thought she might be a spirit of some kind, but no, her scent was human. The antlers were simply part of a headdress. When she spoke to me, I realized that she was the source of the strange power I felt here. She was a fortune-teller known as Madame Fawn, one of those who read one's future by tossing chips of bone and reading how they lay, or by heating breast bones and shoulder blades to read the pattern of cracks. Many fortune-tellers were clever frauds who used elaborate props to give the illusion of power. Madame Fawn and her surroundings looked just as tacky, but her power was real. She told me, indirectly, of course through the bones, that the sapling I sought was nearby. I nodded and left respectfully; fortune-tellers were always odd humans and it was not wise to give them offense, even if one is a god. Sometimes they could influence the future as well as read it. _

_Outside Madame Fawn's cave, there were very few options for me to follow. I could not see or smell any sign of the sapling from here, so I walked along the very edge of the river towards the waterfall. Perhaps it would lead me around the cursed zone to the sapling. To my surprise, there was cave behind the waterfall. I could smell dying flowers as I stepped inside, and followed the tunnel. Deep within was the Guardian Sapling. I had no idea how this tree could grow at all in this sunless place, but perhaps it drew all the energy it needed from the surrounding trees, giving them protection as they offered it strength. It took only a moment for me to revive it, and I could feel Orochi's miasma vanish. I left the cave and found Agata Forest had returned to normal. Thick, ancient trees reached towards the sky, their branches mirrored in the pools and rivulets that wound around their roots. The three steps of the waterfall leapt down their banks sending spray into the fresh, clear air. _

_Seeing that all was well, I heading for the next river. There would be a bridge over to Taka Pass, and from there to the capital city. However, when I reached the river, there was no bridge, only rushing water. I growled. I could not swim across these rapids and there was nothing I could use to help my brush replace the bridge. Frustrated, I turned back to the forest, hoping to find someone who could tell me what had happened and help me fix it. I did come across Susano, but he was off and running again before I could try to get Issun to ask for his help. Then again, it was probably for the best. I doubted Susano would be able to make a bridge. Break one, yes, but not build. Perhaps Madame Fawn could help me. _

_As I walked back towards her cave, I saw a man dressed in animal skins. He seemed worried and looking for something. I padded up to him. He was so distracted and worried that he did not think twice about talking to me, even though he only saw a white wolf. His son was supposed to be helping him repair the bridge, but the boy had run off into the woods and had not returned. I gave a sharp bark and loped into the undergrowth. The amount of water made tracking scents difficult, but a small child, even a woods-wise one, could not have run too far. If I could find him and return him, the bridge could be fixed and I could move on. _

_I found the boy on a small island in the middle of the river. It was flat and bare, except for a stone marker that read "The Abyss." The boy was also dressed in skins with a pair of rabbit ears for a hat and was holding a fishing rod. He looked scared and desperate. Since I could not speak, Issun did the talking. The boy called himself Kokari and he was trying to catch something. Apparently he and his dog Ume had been exploring a place known as the Tsuta Ruins, but something had starting moving and growling. Kokari got scared and ran. He thought Ume was with him, but when he got back into the forest, Ume wasn't there. And to make matters worse, Kokari had dropped the key to the Ruins into the Abyss and was trying to fish it out. He refused to leave until he found that key and rescued Ume. As he related his story, Kokari became more and more upset. By the end, he was sobbing. Issun called him a crybaby, which made me want to step on the little bug-man. I resisted the urge because I needed him to talk for me, but I was angry. Kokari was just a child and even an adult would have run if something frightened them in a dark place. It was natural. And the boy was trying to rescue his dog. He obviously felt awful for accidentally leaving Ume behind. _

_I licked Kokari's face, wiping the tears away. They tasted of salt and grief. Then I nudged the fishing rod, hoping that my desire to help translated. Kokari rubbed his face clean and some hope came back into his eyes. I channeled my power through the rod and Kokari's desperation, seeking the key. I reached, felt, and then, together we pulled. A fish flew into the air and onto the ground in front of Kokari. It flopped and wriggled, and then a gleaming medallion fell from its mouth. Kokari leapt up and down with joy. It was the key. Before the boy could grab it, I had the medallion in my mouth and was bounding away through the trees. Kokari's angry shouts faded behind me. I was sorry to upset him further, but I was not going to let a child back into those ruins. The curse may have been dispelled, but that didn't mean that something else had been left behind…or woken up. _


	7. Seventh Scroll: Tsuta Ruins

SEVENTH SCROLL: TSUTA RUINS

_The Ruins were not difficult to find. The doors were encrusted with moss and lichen, but they were not overgrown with vines. Even the ground in front of the doors was clear of undergrowth. That was unusual for a place as ill-used as this. I placed the medallion in the slot on the front of the door and they slid aside with a grinding roar. It appeared I would not be able to enter quietly. Whatever was inside had to know that I was here. I snarled defiantly and walked in._

_Huge roots and vines had grown inside the ruins. The entryway was vast, dominated by a giant vaguely humanoid statue. The base of the statue was surrounded by what might have once been water, but now was a sickly dark purple and black sludge. The air was very still and slightly stale. It made my fur stand up. This place was very old, and I had a feeling that whoever or whatever had made this place wasn't human. Everything was too large, too spacious. Or perhaps I was uncomfortable at how small and insignificant this statue made me feel. I walked closer to the strange-looking water. Something about it made me uneasy; I didn't want to touch it if I could help it. I used my brush to draw a lily pad on its surface, but the second the lily pad manifested, it disintegrated in a puff of vile-smelling purple smoke. I backed away sneezing. Hopefully Ume wasn't hiding in the base of the statue. There was no way for me to reach him if he was…although I doubted he could have made it across this sludge either. He must be hiding elsewhere in this place, so I moved on._

_The Ruins were like a maze and it took me several hours to make my way up to the higher levels. At one point I had to cross a stone span and nearly got killed by Issun. I started to cross the span when Issun sneezed. I felt the rumbling as the echoes began cracking the ancient stone. I sprinted for the door on the far side, hearing the stone crack and fall away at my heels. Luckily I was fast enough to outrun the span's collapse, but it was still a close call. I growled at Issun, but was unable to step on him like I wanted to, as he was still perched unapologetically on my head. I growled again, and moved on._

_As I climbed through the Ruins, I noticed something odd. The water at the base of statue was that strange polluted color, but there were places within the Ruins, pools or tiny streams, that were clear and fresh. Something was contaminating the main water source. When I reached the top, of the ruins there was still no sign of Ume…but I did find the source of the contamination. Six containers shaped like demonic cats were placed around the top of the waterfall that fed into the rest of the Tsuta Ruins. The water pouring from above was clear and fresh, but the six containers were pouring the purple poison into the water, changing it into the acidic sludge that surrounded the statue. I curled my lip in disgust. My brush made short work of the containers. As they fell to pieces, the contamination vanished and the water sprang up clear and fresh again. I watched as the poison surrounding the massive statue disappeared. When I was sure that all of it was gone, I sprang forward and jumped down the waterfall. My way back through the Ruins was destroyed, thanks to Issun's sneeze, so this was the fastest way down. Besides, I had searched every inch of the Ruins and had no succeeded in finding Ume. The only place left to look was inside the statue itself. Now that the poison was gone, I could make water lilies and cross with safety. _

_The base of the statue was hollow and glowing with a strange light. I crossed the now-clear water on the lily pads and stepped through. It took my eyes a moment to adjust, but when they did, I stared. The room was like a garden, though a slightly withered one. Vines and moss covered the remnants of some old, now-broken statues. Dominating the scene was a massive glowing pink flower supported by huge vines. It was one of the Heavenly Lotus, or Konohana blossoms, the biggest I'd ever seen, but its petals were tightly closed. I glanced upward and saw more of the blossoms, though much smaller, leading in a spiral towards the ceiling. These unearthly flowers floated in the air and opened whenever a spiritual being approached them. _

_The rest of the greenery around the hollow insides of the statue was rather withered, so I used my Bloom brush to revitalize them. Flowers and fountains sprang up, and when I was finished, the room glowed with health and growing things. But there was still no sign of Ume. Then the huge Heavenly Lotus opened and a sweet smell filled the room. I looked up and saw another constellation appear. It was the final Flora monkey god. This one returned the Vine Brush to me. Now I could use the Heavenly Lotus to create vines that would allow me access to higher places. I quickly drew a vine connecting me to the massive Heavenly Lotus. The vines sprang into being and snatched me from the ground and yanked me to the Lotus. My stomach lurched and my head spun. It took me a moment to regain my equilibrium. I glared upwards at the other blossoms with distaste. I'd forgotten what an unpleasant method of travel these vines were. But I had no choice. Perhaps somehow Ume had gotten to the top of the statue's exterior. If that was the case, I would have to use the Heavenly Lotus flowers to follow. I swallowed hard and continued to draw the vines allowing me to leap from flower to flower._

_When I reached the top of the statue, I did not see Ume at all…but there was a trace of a dog's scent. The very top of the statue also looked odd…like a lid. I used my Vine Brush to lash four Konohana blossoms to several hook-like protrusions on this lid. The pull from the flowers lifted the top of the statue…revealing a very long drop. A cold stench rose from it, sharp and acrid. Perhaps this was the lair of the monster that had frightened Kokari. I took a breath…and jumped into the pit._

_It was a long drop. Luckily, even though I was in the form of a wolf, I was not quite bound my mortal limitations. I could survive a fall like this with no trouble. But it was still unnerving, since I did not know what lay at the bottom. If it was a pool of the same acid that had been dumped into the waterfall, I was in trouble. But only stone met my paws. It was dark and the passageway was filled with cobwebs. Eager to finish this, I raced forward into the next cavern. In the middle was what appeared to be a massive open flower. I approached it warily. Something seemed to be curled up inside the middle of the flower…a dog. Ume! But as I touched the fleshy petals, the stems in the middle of the flower swiveled towards me…eyes! They were eyes! I leapt back as the flower snapped shut, narrowly missing my tail. I somersaulted in midair, and landed facing the beast. _

_Long spindly grey limbs rose into the air. Fine threads waved, sticky and deadly. The massive abdomen closed its fleshy petals around Ume and shifted away from me. A face, blank and grey with no eyes but a gaping mouth with pincer-like fangs and a black curtain of hair turned towards me. The Spider Queen, one of the servants of Orochi. She promised me death in this place, and the inevitable rise of her master. I snarled in reply. As long as there was breath in my body, Orochi and his lackeys would never triumph. The Spider Queen shrieked in rage and raced forward. _

_I dodged and began running along the perimeter of the room. The Spider Queen had not chosen her battlefield well. The space was almost too small for her bulk. She was fast in a straight-line attack, but slower to turn. I ran behind her and then noticed that there were Konohana blossoms lining the walls. That gave me an idea. I drew a vine from one of the flowers as I ran to one of the curved protrusions on the Spider Queen's abdomen. The vine attached. I quickly drew another and the Spider Queen shrieked, feeling the tug of the vines. She began shaking at them, trying to tear them loose. Stalactites crumbled and fell, another obstacle to dodge, but I was persistent. Two more vines were attached to the Spider Queen. The strength of the vines pulled apart the fleshy petal, revealing her vulnerable eyes. I leapt forward and slashed at the eyes with my Divine Instrument. They popped and burst like overripe berries. The Spider Queen screamed in agony and tore free of the vines, but it was too late. I cut open the last eye with my Power Slash, and the monster fell to the ground, webs shredded forever. _

_I stood there, panting as the rush of battle drained from my body. The Spider Queen's carcass glowed and changed into a shower of flowers, like the bodies of the other purified demons I had killed, leaving behind a small garden dominated by another large flower. Curled up in the center, asleep and miraculously unharmed, was a small dog. I picked Ume up gently by the scruff of his neck and carried him from that place. _

_As we left the Tsuta Ruins, Kokari came running up, overjoyed that Ume had been found. He apologized to his dog for being such a coward. At first Ume seemed angry with Kokari, but quickly forgave the boy. Issun in the meantime spun some tale about Ume deliberately staying within the Tsuta Ruins to teach Kokari the meaning of bravery and that one should never be afraid to have adventures. I rolled my eyes upward, trying to glare at the Poncle. Having adventures was all fine and good, but a child should not be encouraged to go wandering into dangerous places. Recklessness was different from courage. _

_Alas, I was to have no say in the matter, for Kokari went running off babbling something about a bridge. I blew out my breath in frustration. This certainly was a troublesome child. I tried to follow, but the mist in the air made it difficult to track Kokari's scent. It slowed me down. I came across his father, who seemed happy that his son was fine (apparently he had seen Kokari running past with Ume) and blissfully unaware that his son was going off to do something stupid. Realizing I did not have time to try to drag the father with me to knock some sense into the boy, I ran for the rapids. _

_Sure enough, Kokari was there with Ume. He had thrown his fishing line across the rapids and was holding tightly to the pole of his fishing rod. Issun yelled for Kokari to stop, that this was too dangerous, but the boy ignored him. A shout from upstream got my attention. A log was hurtling down the rapids with Susano clinging to it! The brash warrior's attempt at creating a bridge himself had apparently backfired. I grabbed Kokari's jacket to pull him away, but before I could, the log reached us. It caught the line and pulled Kokari, Ume, Issun, and myself onto the log with Susano. I cast about desperately for a way to stop the log before we hit a rock or went over a waterfall. I threw out vines to the Konohana blossoms along the river, hoping to slow us down. It worked a little too well. The vines caught hold and acted like a slingshot, hurling us back to the broken bridge. We landed safely on the ground. I shook my head, dazed, and looked towards the rapids. Somehow, the log had fallen so that it formed a new bridge to Taka Pass. Susano let out a huge belly laugh and ran across it. Did that man never slow down? Kokari and Ume did not seem worse for wear. In fact, Kokari was absurdly proud of himself for helping to make the bridge. I shook my head and watched them walk back into Agata Forest. Hopefully they would keep out of trouble for a little while. I could no longer stay. Taka Pass and the land beyond awaited me._


	8. Eighth Scroll: Taka Pass

EIGHTH SCROLL: TAKA PASS

_At the very end of the path was a small tea shop. I overheard the few frightened people gathered there that a cursed zone had enveloped Taka Pass. Kusa Village, a small hamlet nestled among bamboo groves in the mountains, was completely cut off from the rest of the world. Perhaps the cursed zone had even spread there. One frightened man said that he had heard terrifying howls coming from Kusa Village just before the cursed zone went up. For a second I thought of Orochi…and then I remembered the barrier sealing the Moon Cave's entrance. It was possible that another ally or servant of Orochi was in Kusa Village, but that was better than dealing with the serpent himself. I ran past the tea shop, searching for the Guardian Sapling. _

_I found a sign saying, "To the Famous Cherry Breeze" in front of a pile of rubble. Something had caused a landslide, and chances were "Cherry Breeze" was the Guardian Sapling. I used my Bomb technique to blast a hole in the passage and ran through a long tunnel, coming to a large cavern with gleaming pools of water, but no Sapling. There was a wooden ramp leading upward to the next level of the cave. I took a step towards it…and then I heard it. Waka's flute. Your flute. _

_I looked all around for the source which echoed off of the rock walls. I caught a flash of pink and white, and barked. You appeared to me once again, playing your flute and whirling out of the sky like an odd but brilliant bird. Or perhaps more like one of those pinwheels from Kusa Village. You said that my fight with the Spider Queen was pitiful, although I thought I had done rather well. But you said no, I was still weak, that the idea of leaving the salvation of the world to me was ridiculous. And so you challenged me again to battle. This time I blocked your flying swords and was able to dodge your vicious spiraling attacks. I put you on the defensive until you leapt backward upon one of the taller rocks, panting and sweating. This time I was sure that you would acknowledge my improvement. _

_Of course, I was wrong. You said I wasn't bad and then, oddly enough, switched topics and asked if I knew the whereabouts of the Serpent Crystal, the key to unlocking the barrier sealing the Moon Cave. I laid back my ears. What you could want with the Crystal, I did not know, but I had a feeling that going into that cave would be a mistake. If Orochi was still sealed inside, then it was best that the barrier remain sealed to prevent the beast from escaping and undoing all of the work I had done. When it was apparent that I knew nothing of the location of the Crystal, you vanished again. I thought about chasing after you, but decided to save my strength. You would appear again when you were ready, I was sure. After all, you asked me to find the Crystal for you, didn't you? _

_Oh yes, I am no fool. Issun is urging me to get to the Crystal before you, but I am not so eager. I think you know perfectly well where the Crystal is, Waka. And you simply want me to do your dirty work for you. You are a clever, devious man. But that only makes me more curious. I want to know how you know me. I want to know where you have been, what you have done, and what you are planning to do now. I want to find out why you do not speak openly to me and attack me if we were friends or why you did not kill me in my weakened state if we were enemies. Most of all, I want to understand why you seem so very alone in this world, so unique that you can claim no one as kin or friend. You did not say that to me, but something about you is so different…I cannot imagine there being another like you. Why do you weep behind that glib smile, Waka?_

_I shook myself from my reverie and continued searching for the Guardian Sapling. It was set on higher ground, above the cursed zone that spread throughout Taka Pass like a roiling black lake. That black lake quickly evaporated as soon as I revived the Sapling and Sakuya's power washed the curse away. Now that the Pass was clear of the curse, I set to work destroying the Devil Gates and Demon Scrolls that remained. I reached a crossroads and read the sign posted there. If I went left up the mountainside, I would reach Kusa Village. If I continued straight, I would reach the Taka Pass Checkpoint. But there was a path to my right that had no listed destination. I could see a gate and part of a house peeking out from the hills that cradled it in a tiny valley. Curious, I ventured closer, but the closer I got, the more ill I felt._

_When I stepped past the gate, my stomach heaved. The air here was thick with evil, the sky red and ominous rather than the clear blue I had just left. A little woman with a pinched face and a basket on her back was standing in the front of the ramshackle house. Her eyes were pale grey and cold. When she saw me, she ran forward with a sharp knife in each hand, cackling madly. I turned tail and ran, leaving the creepy house and mad woman behind. Yes, I ran. The sight of that woman charging me unnerved me, more than when I'd faced the Spider Queen. She smelled human, and I did not want to kill humans if I could help it. Perhaps she was possessed by a demon. I would have to deal with it later. For the moment, I needed to clear the rest of Taka Pass and take a look at the city Checkpoint to make sure it was clear._

_The Checkpoint was free of the cursed zone, but a new problem confronted me. The massive drawbridge that spanned the gorge between Taka Pass and Ryoshima Coast was up. One of the two guards, a fat, sleepy man eager to talk to anyone, even a stray dog such as myself, said that there was an illness in Sei-an City, the capital, and thus the bridge had been raised to prevent anyone from entering or exiting. He was nervous because it had been one hundred years since Orochi was defeated and all the strange things that were happening could be bad omens for the Kamiki Annual Festival. As proof, he pointed out the phoenix statues standing on either side of the bridge; apparently they were supposed to be ablaze and never go out. But now they were just cold, grey, flameless statues._

_His words troubled me. You had gone to the city, Waka, and there was illness there. Orochi's curse would wreak havoc in such close quarters; things were bad enough here in the outer villages! I did not have the Brush to control fire yet, so I could not relight the phoenix statues for the nervous guard. But I could go check on Kusa Village and make sure that the curse did not linger there._


	9. Ninth Scroll: Kusa Village

NINTH SCROLL: KUSA VILLAGE

_Orochi's curse did not hang over Kusa Village, but something was very wrong. The air was thick and heavy. A massive windmill loomed over the village, and yet no wind stirred. It was hard to breathe, and the sky was dark and brown. I could not tell if it was day or night in this twilight place, and I felt strangely…drained. Stepping into a cursed zone would drain my life, but I felt no attacks on my life force, and the people of Kusa Village were not statues. They remained flesh and blood, although they spoke in nervous, hushed tones. I moved forward cautiously._

_In the center of the village stood a well that appeared to have run dry. Next to it was a tiny garden. It looked dead, but a small girl was standing in the middle of the dry stems, watering them. I approached her. She looked up at me and smiled, but she seemed tired and worried. The well had dried up and the flowers died when the Divine Wind stopped blowing and she was trying to revive the flowers. Her dedication moved me, so I reached for the power of my Celestial Brush to revive the flowers._

_But nothing happened. The power of the Brushes felt watery; I could not hold onto them! I tried Brush after Brush, but nothing worked. The strange, dead air of this place was draining away my ink rather than my life! I trembled, and for the first time since my awakening, I felt afraid. How could I revive this place without the use of my Celestial Brush? Even the power of the Sun, which had never been taken from me, was draining away. And without even that latent power, I could not even use my Divine Instrument. I would be nothing more than the white wolf humans perceived me to be. I whirled and raced away from the little girl in the garden, hoping to find something, anything to help me keep my powers. To keep me from diminishing. _

_I did not get far along the mountain path before I felt the last dregs of my power sucked away. The weight of the Divine Instrument on my back lifted, the red marking and wings on my body vanished, and the flowers that trailed in my wake disappeared. I was now just a wolf. For a moment, I feared that this evil aura would drain me of all my divinity, rendering me a simple animal. But it seemed that it only took my ink and my weapons, not my intelligence. I was still a goddess, but one who was now severely handicapped. If I faced any demons here, it would be with claws and teeth alone. I did not relish that kind of confrontation. What would say, Waka, if you saw me here like this? Stripped of my powers, now a weakling in truth? Would you appear and challenge me again? Or would this same miasma drain you as it did me, thus barring you from this place?_

_I continued up the winding paths of Kusa Village, along wooden balconies and stairs, slowly winding my way closer to the giant windmill. Kusa Village clung to the edge of the mountain, precariously perched like the nest of an eagle. Everything was on a vertical plane rather than horizontal. My neck began to ache from constantly craning it backwards. On my way, I stumbled across Susano. He was sleeping, curled up among the bamboo stalks. His sleep was not a restful one. He kept crying out, moaning, and twitching. Seeing him in such a state made me uncomfortable, so I nipped him to wake him up. As soon as he was conscious, the fear vanished and he started blustering again about meditating and making battle plans to face a "Crimson something-or-other" that had taken up residence in the Gale Shrine. I cocked my head to one side and whined. I doubted Susano would be able to take on any monster powerful enough to affect even myself in such a debilitating fashion. I left him to his "meditations" and climbed. _

_I saw a large building that looked like a shrine or perhaps the home of the local priest. When I was running through the village, I overheard some snatches of conversation about a monster and a priest being killed and a lone priestess struggling to hold back the demons…and Susano had mentioned that something had taken over the Gale Shrine. Was this evil in the air present because this priestess was dead? But there was someone standing on the path in front of the building…a young woman with eight grey orbs circling behind her. She wore the robes of a priestess and I could feel a slight energy in the air that comes from holy power. Perhaps this was the priestess of the village. She seemed to be in pain. I ran towards her._

_She gave a great cry and then slumped to the ground. A demon rose up from behind her. I could see the line of energy tethering the beast to her. So she was not dead, but she had been possessed, so any protective barriers that had been in place to safeguard Kusa Village were gone. I snarled at the demon that floated above her on a paper kite. I leapt up as high as I could. My jaws snapped shut just short of the demon. It laughed and swooped at me. That was a mistake. I leapt again and this time caught part of the kite. The imp spiraled downward, its kite ruined. Once on the ground, I made short work of it. Its blood tasted foul in my mouth. I spat it out, and as the demon's body changed into flowers, the energy tying it to the woman was severed. The evil aura lifted and I felt my powers returning to me. The Celestial Brushes were mine again, and the weight of my Divine Instrument was comfortingly familiar on my back. I heaved a sigh of relief. Being without my Brushes was more harrowing than I'd thought it would be._

_The woman got to her feet and introduced herself as Princess Fuse, the priestess of Kusa Village and last of the Satomi House. Even though she could only see a white wolf, she knew that it was not my true form or nature. She told me that a powerful demon called Crimson Helm had been born of Orochi's blood one hundred years ago and had been hounding Taka Pass, and Kusa Village in particular, for the past century. Last year it had succeeded in killing the head priest and taking the Gale Shrine where the God of the Wind was worshiped The Divine Wind had stopped, and since that time, Kusa Village had suffered calamity on top of calamity. She offered me a strange floating token called the Canine Tracker and begged me to find the Eight Canine Warriors of the Satomi House and bring them to her so that Crimson Helm could be defeated. Although she had spent some time calling for them, none of them had returned and she worried for their safety._

_For a moment, I could only stare at her in shock. I, the great Amaterasu, had become an errand-runner. I considered refusing; after all, even a group of warriors was not as likely to succeed against one of Orochi's minions as I was. Had I not already defeated the Spider Queen alone (despite your doubting words?) Even Issun, who normally would do anything for a beautiful woman, seemed surprised by the request. And even more surprised at my acquiescence. If Princess Fuse was alone in her vigil, it would be better if she had guards, even if they were only dogs. Some protection was better than none. With only the slightest curl of my lip, I accepted the token and turned back towards the lower slopes of Kusa Village. _


	10. Tenth Scroll: Warriors of the Satomi

TENTH SCROLL: WARRIORS OF THE SATOMI

_The Canine Tracker, a strange, floating block with a symbol painted on a red circle with a purple tassel hanging from it, began making a chiming noise almost immediately. It also started to spin very slowly with a bright ring of light pulsing from it. As I walked farther down the path, the chiming, spinning, and glowing increased in tempo. Curious, I turned and started to walk back towards the Satomi House. The tempo decreased. A "tracker" indeed. More like a child's game of hot and cold, but I could play. _

_The Tracker floated up to a pile of rubble, spinning and chiming at a rapid pace and the glow turning from a pale yellow to red. I eyed the rubble. Could the Canine Warrior have been crushed by a landslide? I sniffed and felt a very slight breeze coming from the stones. So there was a passage or cave behind it. I called on my Celestial Brush and drew one of the Cherry Bombs, destroying the blockage. As the dust cleared, I saw a dog standing in the middle of a small cave. It had a scarf around its shoulders secured by a glowing orb inscribed with the character for "honor." The dog introduced itself as "Rei" and demanded food. I fed it some meat like I had done with other animals I had come across in my travels. Aside from the ability to speak, there was nothing out of the ordinary about this dog. Once he was done eating, Rei announced that he would return to Princess Fuse and ran out of the cave. I watched to make sure he was running in the direction of the Satomi House. Issun expressed surprise that Rei was one of the Warriors…I resisted the urge to bit him. Had he been too busy talking (or ogling Princess Fuse) that he missed hearing that the Satomi Warriors were referred to as "canine"? Meaning "dog"? Many people talked about their pets as if they were human children. I rolled my eyes at Issun's thick-headed comments and continued down the path. One Canine Warrior found. Seven more to go._

_I returned to the main square of the village. Although some of the oppressive feeling had lifted now that Princess Fuse was no longer possessed, the people were still nervous. I saw the little girl still trying to water her garden. Now that my ink was no longer being drained, I could help her! I walked into the garden and called on my brush to restore the flowers to life. To my surprise, not only did the flowers rejuvenate, but a dog appeared in the middle of them! Like Rei, he was a Canine Warrior (he called himself Shin), and he was also hungry. I sighed inwardly, but fed him. If these dogs were so hungry, why did they not answer Princess Fuse's summons? Surely they knew they would be fed if they returned. I watched Shin lope back to the Satomi House and continued searching Kusa Village. _

_This time I headed upwards using my Vine brush and the Konohana blossoms floating above. This took me to a new level of the village. Just below the open flower I sat on was a wooden beam that stretched out to a tall lookout's nest. I considered jumping down and taking a look, but the Tracker was whirling and chiming again at the front of a cave mouth. I turned away from the view and leapt up the cave. A long tunnel wound its way into the mountain side, at last opening out into a chamber. Sure enough, there sat yet another Canine Warrior demanding food. This one called himself Ko. I wondered how he had managed to get up here when the only easy route was via the Konohana flowers? Before I could ask, Ko was running down the passage and back to the Satomi House without even a thank you for the food. For once, I agreed with Issun's angry mutter about useless fleabags expecting to be fed._

_As I left the cave, the sun was setting. There were two Canine Warriors left to find in Kusa Village, but I was seized with an urge to climb the lookout tower. I wanted to be near the sky. Perhaps there I would be above the heaviness that weighed on my spirit on the ground. I leaped onto the beam and took careful steps. It was narrower than it appeared. More Konohana blossoms littered the sky, so I used them to reach the top of the tower. A single guard with a telescope stood on the weather-worn planks scanning the sky. I think he was talking to himself rather than to me, but I still heard him say that he hadn't expected to see the floating island in the sky that his grandfather spoke of, the Celestial Plain where the gods live. At the words "Celestial Plain," the fur along my back stood on end and the ache in my chest sharpened into pain. I looked up at the sky, but, like the guard, could see nothing. Even hear the air was dark and no wind blew. I could feel the faint chill of evening descend, but no stars appeared. And no memories. The deep loneliness and confusion I had felt looking at the moon over Harumi Lake returned. A soft whine escaped my lips. I lay down and rested my head on my paws. Issun must have sensed my distress and, uncharacteristically, he did not push me to continue searching for the Canine Warriors that night._

_Dawn brought no relief from the heaviness in the air; in fact, if the rooster had not crowed, I would not have been able to tell that it was morning. Thankfully there had been no rain, although when I stood and shook, dewdrops flew from my fur. I felt better for an evening of rest and resumed my search for the other Canine Warriors. Part of me felt a twinge of guilt for making Princess Fuse wait longer, but in my defense, I had come a long way and was tired. From my lofty vantage point, I saw a path leading downward from the village that I had not yet explored. The chiming Canine Tracker (which was starting to annoy me) led me down the winding path towards a small hut that sat out on a ledge all alone. It was a rather secluded, lonely spot nestled within a tiny grove of bamboo. Outside the hut stood an old man with a piece of bamboo ware on his back. I remembered overhearing a villager speak of a master carver called Mr. Bamboo…this was probably who they were speaking of. As I came up to him, Mr. Bamboo smiled and patted me on the head. I took an instant liking to him. He was very grandfatherly and friendly, but there was also a deep sadness that clung to him like a shadow. When he said that he shouldn't burden me with his problems, even though I was a wolf, I nuzzled his hand, urging him to continue. Issun seemed skeptical, but I wanted to help Mr. Bamboo if I could. He said that he made things from Bamboo, but Sasa Sanctuary, which had the best bamboo for carving, had suddenly been closed by the Sparrow Clan. No one could go in or out and he didn't know why. He wanted to make more bamboo, especially with the Kamiki Festival coming up, but with Sasa Sanctuary closed, he couldn't. He looked so sad when he said this that I was determined to find out why the Sparrow Clan had closed their doors, and open them again, if I could._

_I would have stayed a little longer, but the Canine Tracker was tugging forward, so I followed it towards Mr. Bamboo's home. I wasn't sure why he couldn't make some bamboo ware from the stuff outside his house, but perhaps it wasn't the right kind. Then I saw the Tracker hover around one of the tallest and thickest pieces of bamboo, which was glowing slightly. Curious, I slashed open the bamboo, and there stood another Canine Warrior. This one was a female called Chi. I thought perhaps she would be more polite than Rei, Shin, and Ko, but she only demanded food and, once finished, trotted off, tail wagging. I slammed my head into the bamboo stump in frustration. These dogs would be useless in the fight against Crimson Helm! Why was I still collecting them for Princess Fuse? It would be faster to just kill the thing myself! Issun pointed out that I had accepted the Canine Tracker and Princess Fuse's request. It would be dishonorable to back out now, no matter how foolish this little "quest" seemed. Unfortunately, I had to agree with the little bug-man. I had accepted the task and now I must see it through. I didn't think any other Canine Warriors were hidden within Kusa Village, but I thought I should check with Princess Fuse to be certain…and to make sure that the other four I had found were actually with her!_

_As I climbed the stone steps to the Satomi House, a fierce snarl shook me free of my reverie. A huge brown dog, heavily scarred and missing an eye, crouched on the path in front of me. One of the sashes clasped with an orb looped around his muscled neck. Ah, so this was the alpha of the Canine Warriors. Even before he announced that his name was Tei, leader of the Warriors and that he wanted to challenge me, I knew. Only an alpha would challenge a stranger that did not quite smell like a dog to such a fight. Humans might not see me as I was (except for the occasional child or the very pure) but animals have no use for pretention. They see all as it is, and thus, they know me. Yet, even though Tei had to realize that I was not just a white wolf, he still wanted to fight. I could respect that kind of courage…if it was in fact courage and not stupidity. It was possible that, because of their unique position and intelligence, that Tei couldn't tell what I was. My consideration of Tei's motivation ended when the dog said he wanted to test my strength to see if I was worthy of bearing the Canine Tracker. That irked me, as the dubious "honor" had been thrust upon me. Issun was itching for a fight as well (why, I do not know since I did all the work), and I agreed. I would show this fleabag what I was made of. I crouched and bared my teeth._

_Apparently, that was all Tei needed to see. He lunged and I was astonished at his speed. I barely managed to dodge it. And the next. And the next. Fast! So fast! I could only retaliate while in the air because the second I touched earth, Tei's jaws were there trying to snap closed on my legs or throat. I was holding my own, but barely. It occurred to me that I had taken the Satomi Warriors too lightly. Perhaps they could take down a servant of Orochi._

_A voice rang out, halting Tei's attack. It was Princess Fuse and she was furious. Tei, who had been so proud and defiant while facing me, slunk over to the priestess with his tail between his legs. The other Canine Warriors were also present and whining with their heads lowered. After his scolding, Tei apologized to Issun and I and acknowledged my strength. I accepted the apology, but silently thought that if Princess Fuse had not intervened, I could have been in serious trouble. Or I would have been forced to injure Tei. Princess Fuse then apologized to me for Tei's behavior and told me that the remaining three Canine Warriors were not within Kusa Village. She could sense them in the surrounding countryside, but they had not replied to her summons, and so she asked me to find them and learn what had happened. If they lived, I was to send them back. Part of me wanted to refuse; after all, had I not already found five? Why could they not search for their missing comrades? But I did not want to look weak in front of Tei; I did not want to have to face him in combat again so soon. Besides, something about the sashes and orbs that the Warriors were wearing nagged at me. There was something familiar about them, but I couldn't quite place it. So, I nodded and set out to find the missing Warriors. _


	11. Eleventh Scroll: Sasa Sanctuary

ELEVENTH SCROLL: SASA SANCTUARY

_Once down the mountain, I paused at the crossroads to read the signs and get my bearings. I had been through all of Taka Pass before going to Kusa Village and had seen no signs of any dogs. The bridge to Seian City was raised, so it was doubtful that any Canine Warriors had crossed the river; the cliffs were far too steep for any of them to climb. And there was something nagging the back of my mind…a memory that I couldn't quite catch…something to do with the Satomi orbs…_

_The chime of the Canine Tracker disrupted my chain of thought. It drifted to the left, although the tempo of the chimes did not increase. Curious, I walked in that direction. Ahead stood a tall torii gate arch. I had gone right past it before because the path under it led to a sheer stone wall. A fat little man was huffing and puffing, trying to push through the cliff. This time I stopped and read the signpost. It said "Sasa Sanctuary." I looked at the Canine Tracker, which was still trying to drift in that direction. Mr. Bamboo had said that the Sparrow Clan closed the gates to Sasa Sanctuary…could one of the Canine Warriors been trapped inside, unable to leave? I did not know how strong the Sparrow Clan was, but perhaps they posed a challenge, even to a Satomi Warrior. Still, it was worth looking into. Perhaps I could find a way to sneak into Sasa Sanctuary if the Sparrows refused to cooperate. It would be a bit of a challenge getting over that cliff, but I had to try._

_But as I loped up the path, a curious thing happened. The rock barring my path simply…vanished. Like it had never been. I stopped. There was no eerie green light like at the base of Sakuya's tree or when I'd passed beneath the Harumi Lake gate, indicating that I'd passed into the spirit realm. It was more like some kind of illusion. I turned, ran back under the gate and circled around it. This time, the stone stayed as it was. I padded up next to the fat man and sniffed the stone. Then I pawed it, and, finally, gave it a good head-butt. No, the stone was solid out here. The fat man kept babbling about how Sasa Sanctuary was on the other side and how those of pure heart and noble intentions were the only ones who could enter. I wondered if he had bothered to go under the gate, but perhaps the illusion only dropped when a pure-hearted being passed beneath the gate. With a shrug of my shoulders, I loped back around and passed under the gate again to drop the illusion. I entered a narrow pass lined with clumps of bamboo without any trouble. Interesting. It seemed Sasa Sanctuary was not quite part of the spirit world, but it wasn't quite connected to the living world either._

_At the end of the narrow pass was a bathhouse. Clumps of ornamental bamboo ran along the edges of the stone path and a wooden gate barred the entrance. Aside from rhythmic tapping of bamboo water fountains, the place was eerily silent. The bathhouse was built so that there was no way to sneak around to the side, and there were no Konohana blossoms. Unless I suddenly grew wings, I would have to enter through the front door. I took a single step forward._

_A flurry of angry chirrups and beating wings came from the top floor of the bathhouse. Standing on either side of a balcony were two members of the Sparrow Clan. They were indeed sparrows, but they stood about half the height of a human and wore simple kimonos with a small dagger slipped into each of their belts. Both were fluttering about in great agitation, making all kinds of dire warnings, threats, and demands. They said that for my insolence, I would have to answer to the great Jamba. I tensed as part of the balcony wall swiveled, revealing the biggest sparrow I had ever seen! He was easily twice the height and three times the width of his lackeys. A black silk patch covered one eye and his costume was richer and more elaborate than the simple robes of the guards. So this was Jamba, leader of the Sparrow Clan. I could not tell if his expression was of contempt or boredom. However, when his only response to his underlings' urges to take me on was a single chirp, I began to suspect the latter. When the underlings reacted as though their boss was really angry, my skepticism grew. Still, even if the great Jamba wasn't showing any emotion, I gleaned from his underlings' twittering that his daughter Chun was missing and that her disappearance was the reason Sasa Sanctuary had been sealed. The doors would not open until she was found. _

_Suddenly, I remembered the strange old woman, Mrs. Cutter who had chased me away from that creepy house the previous day. My blood ran cold. What if the young Sparrow had been captured by her? I turned tail and raced from Sasa Sanctuary. My abrupt departure caught Issun off-guard; I could hear him yelling around my ears as he clung to my fur. He stopped when I reached the gate that led to the Cutters' house. Now he realized why I was in such a hurry and did not argue about it. He'd also felt the strange atmosphere in the valley. This time, I did not see Mrs. Cutter with her large basket, but there was a gnarled old man with a long mustache and a twisted cane in his hand standing outside the house. When he saw me, his little eyes lit up with glee and said that I would make a fine addition to the sparrow at their table that evening. I snarled and charged, determined to knock him aside and ransack the house to find the Sparrow child. _

_Unlike a normal human, Mr. Cutter did not flinch at the sight of an angry charging wolf. He leapt forward swinging his cane. I dodged, but he was faster than I thought and landed a blow on my side. Yelping, I twisted out of the way. The blow hurt far more than it should have; I felt bruised and the stink of dead flesh and dried blood filled my nostrils. Mr. Cutter closed in and, like with his wife, I retreated. Once beyond the gate, Mr. Cutter stopped pursuing me and I slowed to a limping walk. My side was throbbing with pain. Issun hopped down to take a look. The skin was not broken, but the skin felt tender and I flinched at the slightest touch. _

_Neither Issun nor I wanted to stay near the Cutters' house while I was like this, so I limped up to the Mermaid Spring to rest and think of a plan. Issun even found some herbs to place on my side that eased the sting. I whimpered my thanks and rested my head on my paws. The sound of the running spring was soothing, but my thoughts kept running in circles. The Cutters had the young Sparrow Chun. I had to rescue her. Who knew how long she'd been imprisoned? And yet the Cutters were more formidable than I had expected. There was something unnatural about them and it made my fur stand on end and strangely reluctant to fight them head-on. If a glancing blow from Mr. Cutter's stick had hurt me so badly, what could Mrs. Cutter's knife do? _

_It was then that Issun presented an idea. Like me, he suspected that Mr. and Mrs. Cutter were not what they appeared to be. He told me that monsters hiding within the bodies of humans or those who wore illusions could not keep up such a ruse when exposed to moonlight. Perhaps if we dragged the Cutters out under the moon at night their weakness might be exposed. Since the Cutters didn't seem likely to eat their prey before nightfall (and because I had no better plan), I agreed. I just hoped that, hungry as they were, the Cutters would not decide to start their feast early. _

_As the sun started to set, I rose and loped back to the Cutters' house. The herbs Issun gave me had taken away most of the pain and I was no longer limping. Now I was angry. I did not approach the house from the gate, but rather went to the edge of the cliff overlooking the house. From up here, the house looked normal enough, but I could feel the evil aura wafting up from the little valley. Mrs. Cutter was outside cutting some plants with her cleaver. The huge basket was still strapped to her back. The lid shuddered, as if something was trying to get out, and a few feathers poked out. Either Chun was still alive and stuffed into that basket, or the Cutters had ensnared another Sparrow. Mrs. Cutter hurried inside as the last light of the setting sun vanished and the evening star appeared. _

_I waited until the moon rose, listening intently, but there was no sound of a Sparrow crying, only a faint scraping sound that set my teeth on edge. The sound of a knife being sharpened. As soon as I was sure that the moon was high enough, I leapt down into the valley. I did not want to enter the Cutters' house through the front door. Surprise was the only way this plan would work. Luckily the house was not tall, and it was in bad shape. A piece of wood lay propped against the side. I clambered up, and found that part of the roof had a hole in it. It was shabbily patched with a few rotting boards. Issun peeked through the narrow gap, and then hopped back onto my head. The Cutters were inside, both of them. I took a deep breath, and jumped onto the boards. _

_The wood was too weak to support my weight. I dropped down in a shower of splinters. Mrs. Cutter gave a yelp as I broke through her ceiling. I did not wait, but grabbed her by the scruff of her kimono and pulled her into the pool of moonlight. She screamed and swept her cleaver at me, forcing me to let go. I jumped back and crouched, ready to attack again…and froze as I saw her shadow. It was not of a human. It was something…else. Something demonic. She shrieked again in rage, a sound that human throats were not meant to make. I bolted from the house and the two Cutters followed me, screaming obscenities in their hate. As they left the house, the moonlight poured down upon them and they shed their human forms. In their place, a pair of demons rose up on ash-grey wings. Tengu. That's what they were. Among the demons, tengu and kitsune were the most intelligent, and the most likely to use human forms to hide their true nature. These two must have decided this was a good hunting ground, killed the previous occupants of the house, and claimed it as their own. _

_The two tengu shrieked and drew their swords. Each also held a fan which could be used as a shield. I howled back and lashed out with both Brush and Divine Instrument. I drove back the tengu that had been Mr. Cutter, forcing him to use only his fan to ward off my blows. The second tengu, Mrs. Cutter, swooped, intending to slice me in two, but I dodged. I used my Brush to slice off her wings, grounding her. Mr. Cutter raised his fan and lunged forward. His rage made him careless. Without his fan shield, I cut him down easily, then finished off the former Mrs. Cutter as she writhed on the ground. Without their illusions or a human host, tengu were just as vulnerable to my power as any other demon. The death I had dealt to these two was far quicker and more merciful than the ones given to their victims._

_As the broken bodies turned into flowers, I felt the evil aura in the valley dissipate and heaved a sigh of relief. My great anger and the bloodlust that burned in my veins abated. I went back into the house, which still sank of decay but no longer felt evil, and looked for Mrs. Cutter's box. She had dropped it when I grabbed her. I pulled it out into the clean night air and Issun cut through the fastening with his tiny sword. A young female Sparrow tumbled out with a squawk. She sprang to her feet. She must have heard the dying cries of the two tengu because she didn't seem scared at all. She thanked me for rescuing her from the tengu and petted my fur. I gave her a toothy smile; she was still a youngling, probably no older than Kokari from Agata Forest or the little boy Mushi in Kamiki Village. I suppose Issun didn't care for children because he wasn't thrilled about having to escort her back to Sasa Sanctuary. Chun reciprocated the ill-will, calling him stupid. I growled at the Poncle. There was no way I was letting a child wander around Taka Pass at night, especially after what she had been through. He'd been fine with rescuing her from the Cutters, but apparently babysitting was not something he cared for. _

_The walk back to Sasa Sanctuary was mercifully short and uneventful. Chun chattered happily the whole way and was overjoyed to be reunited with her father Jamba. The underlings were shocked when I came trotting up to their gate with their little missing Sparrow. They claimed that Jamba was very happy although all he did was chirp once and continue looking bored. Or perhaps he was happy; the faces of Sparrows are hard to read. When Chun told them what had happened, the two underling Sparrows unlocked the gate and told me to come see Jamba in his receiving hall. _

_The inside of Sasa Sanctuary looked very much like any other bathhouse…except that all of the staff were Sparrows. I walked up the main stairs and climbed into an elevator that took me to the third floor of the building, which was apparently reserved for Jamba. Once again I was thanked for saving Chun (once again, Chun and the two guards interpreted Jamba's monosyllable chirps) and gave me free access to all of Sasa Sanctuary. I was glad, for the Canine Tracker was making noise again, although the Sparrows didn't seem to notice the Tracker any more than the villagers of Kusa Village had. After bowing my thanks, I went to explore the rest of the bathhouse. _

_Some of the rooms had various guests, none of which was a dog. Once I had looked in all of them, I followed my nose down a hallway that led to an outdoor hot spring. Or what used to be a hot spring. A dry stone depression under a massive bamboo water fountain sat where a hot spring should be with a distressed Sparrow bath attendant doing some kind of dancing ritual with a pair of torches. Part of me wanted to stop and examine the spring, but the Canine Tracker was chiming more urgently, drifting towards another passage on the other side of the courtyard. I followed it past some lit lanterns and up a set of stone stairs. A bamboo forest loomed on the other side of the fence lining the stairs. They almost blocked out the stars, the stalks were so dense. No wonder Mr. Bamboo enjoyed coming here. _

_As I climbed I heard someone sobbing up ahead. The odd, hiccupping tweets meant it was probably a Sparrow. Sure enough, at the top of the stairs sat a very large Sparrow. He was bigger than the others, although not quite as big as Jamba. For some reason, I thought that he was probably picked on a lot because of that. I nudged him and whined softly. Issun was not so gentle. He asked what was up with the kid Sparrow's "freaky cry." I growled, but neither the Sparrow, who called himself Tai, nor Issun noticed. Tai explained that he was crying because his dog Take had gotten lost while they were walking. His sorrow reminded me of how Kokari had been when his dog Ume. I glanced at the Canine Tracker. It was whirring faster now, which meant that this dog Take was probably nearby…and one of the Satomi Warriors. I nudged Tai up the second stairs, trying to tell him that we would look for his dog together. Still sniffling, he followed me._

_At the top of the stairs was a wide bamboo grove. Here, the stalks were as tall as trees and they rustled in the wind. The moon cast strange shadows but bathed the center of the grove in silver light. The center of the grove was clear of bamboo. Instead, there was a strange seal cut into the ground. It was too large for me to really see it properly, but something about it made me tremble. I was not afraid, but I did feel…sad. Something sad had happened here… or something sad was connected to this place. I looked up at the moon shining brightly above me. It looked so close…_

_The sight of one of biggest bamboo shoots glowing interrupted my reverie. The Canine Tracker went crazy hovering next to it. I used my Power Slash to cut open the bamboo, revealing a dog with a purple Satomi orb around his neck. Like Chi, this one had somehow become trapped within the bamboo. However, unlike Chi, this dog did not want to be fed. He was growling, even as Tai chirped with delight. We had found Take, but he was not pleased to see us. He introduced himself as Gi and challenged us to battle. He attacked with a series of lunges, but he was not as powerful as Tei. I dodged his strikes, but Gi kicked pebbles into my face, momentarily blinding me. I leapt into the air and heard the snick of his teeth closing just below. Anger filled me. Here I was trying to find these Canine Warriors and all they could do was beg for food or fight me. They were wasting valuable time while Orochi grew more entrenched in Nihon! Still unable to see, I drew a Cherry Bomb. I knew Gi could dodge the explosion, but he could not jump as high as I. I felt the concussion below me. I landed and rubbed my eyes with one paw. When I could see, I looked over to find Gi lying on the ground, stunned. I walked over to him and placed my paw on his throat, growling. _

_Something buffeted me across the head. Startled, I backed up. It was Tai, come to stop the fight. His feathers puffed out as he squawked at me to leave Take alone. I sat down, my anger fading. Gi seemed to have calmed as well. He explained that he had heard Princess Fuse's summons, but he dared not leave the Sparrow Clan for fear that demons would overrun it. Although we had been fighting just moments ago, it was plain that he did feel torn between these two conflicting duties. I felt sympathy, but was not sure how to resolve such a conflict. But then, the Satomi orb around Gi's neck began to glow. It grew brighter and brighter and suddenly flew forward to hover over my Divine Instrument. The aura of power that I'd come to associate with the Canine Warriors was gone from Gi. Gi's (or should I say, Take's?) tongue lolled in a dog's smile. He said that the Satomi orb had chosen and that he no longer needed to worry. He would remain in Sasa Sanctuary to protect the Sparrow Clan. Both Issun and I were confused…but I did not feel like arguing the matter. I had found one of the three missing Canine Warriors. If Princess Fuse really wanted the dogs to be returned, I could tell her where they were and she could fetch them herself. I was getting a little sick of playing fetch._

_Tai fussed over Take like a hen over her chick. I had to smile. Tai and Take really were like Kokari and Ume…My heart turned cold. I remembered now. The memory that had been niggling the back of my mind…the feeling of familiarity about the dogs with their Satomi orbs…I had seen dogs with orbs secured around their necks with sashes before. In Agata Forest. And Kamiki Village. To retrieve the missing Canine Warriors, I would have to take away Kokari's and Mushi's playmates._


	12. Twelfth Scroll: The Springs

TWELFTH SCROLL: THE SPRINGS

_I left the bamboo grove with a heavy heart. Take had been relieved of his duty as a Canine Warrior, but what this would mean for Princess Fuse and the Satomi House, I did not know. Perhaps Princess Fuse only needed the orbs and the dogs were merely carriers. Or perhaps I would have to drag them back myself, a prospect I did not relish._

_Lost in thought, did not realize I had returned to the hot spring area until a familiar voice called out to me. I looked up, shocked, and then started wagging my tail happily. It was Mr. Bamboo! He explained that he had been unable to sleep, and so had walked down from Kusa Village to see the entrance to Sasa Sanctuary, even if he could not enter. To his amazement, the doors were open to him! He looked so happy to have the chance to make bamboo ware once more. I smiled a huge wolf smile, and then turned towards the exit. My journey was not over yet, and I had to go find Kokari and Ume in Agata Forest. I wondered if you would be there again...?_

_Mr. Bamboo's concerned voice stopped me. He'd noticed the dirt in my fur and the weariness in my step. He suggested taking a bath in Sasa Sanctuary's hot spring. I thought about it. I did not care for water, but a hot spring did sound nice…I was so very tired and dirty. However, at Mr. Bamboo's words, the Sparrow bath attendant burst into tears. Apparently, a few days ago the earth trembled and the water had stopped flowing. The Sparrow also claimed to have heard a great roar. I wondered if Orochi's return had caused the earthquake, or perhaps his servant up near the Gale Shrine. Either way, the hot spring was blocked and there was no water. _

_The Sparrow was growing more and more hysterical, and I eye the torches he held warily. If he wasn't careful, his feathers could catch fire. Mr. Bamboo walked over to the dry spring and looked it over. After some muttering and mumbling, he said that he could help, if I was also willing. If I did the digging, he could find the blockage and together we could remove it. I was a little concerned about digging down towards a blocked spring with an elderly man, but he seemed eager to help and willing to stay behind me as I worked. I dug and he tapped on the rocks and earth around us to hear if there was water behind it. It took longer than I had expected before Mr. Bamboo finally gave a cry of triumph. His cane, rather than giving off a thick, muffled thump gave a lighter tapping sound. Here was where the final blockage was. I nudged Mr. Bamboo back towards the surface and waited as he climbed. I did not want to break through this last barrier with him still in the well I dug. I could survive the blast of water as the spring was freed, but I doubted his old bones could withstand it. When I was sure he was out of the tunnel, I drew a Cherry Bomb, turned tail, and climbed as fast as I could. _

_I wasn't quite fast enough. The water roared behind me. I leapt as high as I could. Scalding hot water engulfed my tail, hind legs, back…then I was out! I twisted to the side as the hot spring exploded into the sky, showering the area with hot spray. I lay panting on the wet stone as the geyser subsided to a gentle burble. The hot spring had been restored. As I lay there, the sky suddenly went dark and points of light appeared. Stars. Another constellation! It housed Nuregami, the serpent goddess of water and holder of the Waterspout Celestial Brush Technique. Despite my distaste towards water, I liked Nuregami's calm, soothing voice and gratefully accepted her Brush. I had not expected to find one of the Brushes here. In fact, with my search for the Canine Warriors, I had almost forgotten about them! _

_As I became aware of my surroundings again, I saw that Mr. Bamboo was jumping for joy and the silly Sparrow had managed to set himself on fire. I quickly called on Nuregami's Brush and doused the bird with water. Issun told me that Nuregami's Brush also had another power, one that could create geysers at places where the natural power of water collected. The power is so concentrated at these places that I could ride atop these geysers to higher places. So the little Poncle did know some things about the Brush Techniques…I was grateful, for I had forgotten that the water Brush had many uses, as fluid and versatile as the element itself. _

_Now that the spring had settled down, I stepped closer and put a paw in. Ahhhh…it felt warm and soothing. Issun hopped off my head and onto one of the stones beside the spring. Apparently baths held little appeal for him. Then again, being so small, I'm sure that getting into and out of a pool of water could be very difficult. But that was not going to stop me from enjoying the spring! I slipped into the warm water and felt the aches and pains I'd put off dealing with announce themselves and then fade. For a while, I splashed around in the pool, then just floated for a time, half dozing. Mr. Bamboo sat down on one of the stones and put his feet in the water to soak. I idly listened to him and Issun talking about harvesting bamboo and the upcoming Kamiki Festival, that this time it was special because they would be celebrating one hundred years of freedom from Orochi, that the festival would start when the full moon rose, and that was only a few days away…_

_Mr. Bamboo fell silent when he mentioned the full moon. I sensed his sadness and nudged his hand gently with my nose. He looked down at me and smiled, but there was still sorrow on his face. He said that it was all right, that he just thought about Kaguya whenever he spoke of the moon, for she had loved to gaze at it... I wondered if this Kaguya was his wife, or perhaps his daughter. From the way he spoke, it sounded like she had been gone for a long time. Perhaps she was dead. I looked up at the moon and a ripple of sadness passed through me. Now Mr. Bamboo was alone. As I was. I glanced over at Issun and hid a smile. Well, not completely. _

_I nudged Mr. Bamboo's hand again and climbed out of the hot spring. Two Sparrows with towels dried my fur and offered me a hot meal and a room. I accepted the meal and their offer to stay, for I had not slept yet and the following day would be long. But I did not go inside the bath house. Instead, the Sparrows brought out savory dishes of meat and vegetables for Issun and I. Once my belly was comfortably full, I curled up on a bed of moss and let the sound of the burbling water and bamboo fountains lull me to sleep._

_The morning found me entering the cool shade of Agata Forest once again. I'd left Mr. Bamboo happily whittling away in Sasa Sanctuary; hopefully I would see him again at Kamiki's festival. I sniffed the air, trying to catch the scent of Ume or Kokari. Birds fluttered among the branches, and the waters ran clear. Aside from a few lingering Demon Scrolls, Agata Forest seemed peaceful. I found Kokari's father as I passed through the forest, but neither Kokari nor Ume were with him. Had they gotten into trouble again? _

_Then, I caught a familiar scent. Not Kokari's, but…Kushi's! What was she doing so far from Kamiki Village? I raced up to the ridge and found her beside a clear spring with an enormous barrel. A nearby sign read "Hitoshio Spring." Issun called out a greeting, and asked her what she was doing. Kushi explained that the Hitoshio Spring was believed to possess divine power and was combined with the special sake brewed for the festival to make the legendary 8 Purification Sake. I shivered slightly at her words. 8 Purification Sake was what allowed Nagi and I to defeat Orochi one hundred years ago. If the serpent had not been intoxicated, both of us would have died._

_I eyed the barrel. It was so large that, even empty it must have proved quite a challenge for Kushi to carry. How was she going to fill it with water, much less carry it back to Kamiki Village? Apparently this thought hadn't occurred to Kushi, as Issun had to point it out to her. She slumped at the side of the spring, and murmured that usually Susano helped carry the barrel, so she hadn't even thought about it. That made me both sad and angry. Sad for Kushi because she was relying on such an unreliable man, and angry at Susano for not helping her. Where _was _Susano? The last we had seen of him was in Kusa Village "meditating," but I hadn't seen him when we left. Perhaps he was off fighting more sleeping bears. I growled in annoyance and used my Waterspout Brush to move water from the spring into the barrel. I couldn't help her carry it, since I had no hands or Celestial Brushes to move it, but I could at least give her the water. Kushi leapt to her feet in surprise and delight._

_Suddenly, I caught the scent of demons. I crouched, hackles raised and growling. Several imps appeared on the ridge around the spring, laughing and jeering. Kushi backed up against the barrel, trembling with fear, her eyes wide. Before I could shield her, a brash and familiar voice filled the clearing. It was Susano! He leapt between Kushi and the demons, brandishing his wooden sword. For a moment he stood defiant before them, and I wondered…had Susano found his true courage during his travels? He'd shown up just in time. But as more demons clambered over the rocks and others swooped in from the sky, Susano started to shake so much with fear that he could barely hold onto his sword. But, to his credit, he did not flee. Instead, he told Kushi to stay back, that he would protect her, and slashed at the demons. I quickly called on my Celestial Brush to augment his attack, allowing his wooden blade to slice through them with ease. _

_The battle was very quick, despite the number of demons. Susano slew them all, even one that tried leaping upon him from behind, thanks to Kushi's shouted warning. Susano looked at his weapon, for once not boasting of his victory. Issunn congratulated him and Kushi tentatively approached, thanking him. But I felt ill at ease. Susano did not turn to look at Kushi. He did not seem to notice that she had spoken. Issun started to speak, but I quickly tossed my head and caught the Poncle in my mouth. Something was wrong, and I didn't want Issun distracting Susano and Kushi. I kept my jaws tightly closed and watched. _

_Susano was muttering to himself, speaking of the various battles where my Celestial Brush had helped him. So he realized that the power to defeat the demons was not his own. But instead of being happy or at least awed, Susano was…afraid. And angry. Very angry. He said that spirits were defiling his sword and that he refused to be a puppet. I did not understand. I did not control Susano's movements, only added my strength to his when he fought. It seemed that he still did not realize the power came from me, for he ran off without speaking to Kushi, vowing to expose the spirit who possessed his sword. Kushi reached out a hand to stop him…but he was gone. _

_The moment had passed, and I spat out Issun. He was hopping mad, but quickly ceased when he saw Kushi's sad expression. She explained what happened, and while she was sad, she said that what Susano was doing had to be important and she would get the sacred water back to Kamiki Village on her own. Even though I could not carry the water, I was going to escort her back to Kamiki when I heard Kokari's shout ring through the forest. It sounded like he was in trouble! I hesitated, torn between wanting to help Kushi and looking for Kokari. Issun assured me that the power in the sacred water would protect Kushi on her way back to Kamiki Village, so we wouldn't have to worry about her. Right now we had to help Kokari. Something might have happened to Ume, and we needed to find him and see if my suspicions were correct. And so I licked Kushi's hand, turned tail, and raced through the woods towards Kokari's frantic cries. _


	13. Thirteenth Scroll: Boys and Their Dogs

THIRTEENTH SCROLL: BOYS AND THEIR DOGS

_I raced through the bushes and splashed through pools towards the sound of Kokari's voice, the Canine Tracker whirring beside me. Kokari was standing on the small island beside the deep pool known as "The Abyss" where we had first met. A fishing pole was in his hand, and he seemed to be struggling to pull a fish from the water. But there was no sign of Ume. _

_Suddenly, the biggest fish I have ever seen leaped from the Abyss. Water streamed from its glistening red sides, long whiskers waving. It must have been fifty times my size, perhaps bigger. And trapped in the massive creature's jaws was the struggling form of Ume. Kokari screamed for his dog, but Ume vanished as the huge fish crashed back into the water, sending plumes of spray in all directions. There was a snapping sound and Kokari tumbled backwards into me. A broken line dangled at the end of his fishing rod. Ume was gone. _

_Kokari started to sob with fear and frustration. Once again his beloved dog had been taken from him and with a broken line, it was doubtful he would be able to catch the fish. I nuzzled Kokari as Issun asked what had happened. Kokari explained that he'd been fishing here with Ume, but when he'd turn his back, just for a second, Ume disappeared. The fish who had eaten Ume was known as Whopper, a living legend said to have swallowed the moon long ago. Part of me couldn't help but wonder: how could such a massive fish survive here? The Abyss was deep, surely, but not nearly long or wide enough. There must have been an underground river that connected the Abyss to another body of water, perhaps even Harumi Lake. _

_I licked Kokari's cheek and he wiped his tears away. He stood up and I could sense a new air of determination about him. Ume was gone and Kokari wasn't going to let Whopper get away with that! Then the boy's shoulders slumped as he picked up the fishing rod and saw the broken line. He looked at the water and took a deep breath. I grabbed the back of his coat with my teeth and pulled him away from the water. No way was I allowed him to jump in there after Whopper! The fish would probably eat him. Kokari struggled, but I knocked him down and sat on him. He stared at me, shocked, and even a little afraid. I waited a second, then stood. Kokari sat up more slowly. I nudged the fishing rod towards him, and he picked it up, still watching me warily. I turned my attention to the water and used my ink to draw a new fishing line from the rod to a smaller fish I saw swimming past. The ink solidified and the resulting tug from the fish always tore the rod from Kokari's hands. Surprised as he was, he managed to keep a grip on the rod and pull the fish onto the island. The boy's eyes lit up and I nodded. I would help him catch Whopper._

_As Kokari braced himself, I used my connection with water through Nuregami to locate Whopper. I was surprised the fish hadn't swum away, but, being so big and so old, it probably didn't have many enemies. One little boy, a wolf, and a bouncing bug hardly posed a threat. That was its mistake. I drew a line of ink from the fishing rod to Whopper…and snagged it! The great fish felt the tug and started to pull away, but a line made of divine ink is far stronger than a normal fishing line. It was fueled by Kokari's will as well as my own strength and would not break. _

_Twice we almost managed to pull Whopper from the water and twice it managed to wriggle free, only to be snagged again by my ink. Kokari must have been exhausted, but he kept fighting, refusing to give up. My heart swelled with pride at his determination. Whopper was tiring too; it could not match Kokari's will. With one final yell, Kokari poured the last of his strength into pulling Whopper from the water. The great fish flopped onto the island, gills heaving and glassy eyes staring. Issun let out a whoop of triumph, but Kokari was strangely deflated. He just stared at the massive fish he'd just defeated, but there was no expression of victory on his face, only sorrow. He said that there wasn't a point in celebrating, or in fishing ever again because Ume was gone. I nudged Kokari's hand with my nose. _

_Then Issun noticed that the water of the Abyss, once murky and dark, was now clear and shining like a mirror. The reflection of the crescent moon shone on its surface. Was it really night already? I looked up into the sky, startled, but saw no sign of the moon. But I did see a constellation, and then Yumigami, the Rabbit of the Celestial Crescent Moon brush appeared. She was pounding mocha with her hammer. Mochi! My mouth watered as I nudged the sticky rice with my paws. An angry gleam in Yumigami's eyes warned me to leap backward as her mallet slammed into the place where I had been standing. I did not land gracefully, but tried to recover some of my dignity as I stood. This time, Yumigami did not attack me, but explained that the legend of Whopper swallowing the moon was partly true. It had swallowed the reflection of the moon that Yumigami had hidden herself in, sealing her away. Now that she was free, she bestowed upon me the Moon Brush, the power to turn day into night. The cool, silver power of the moon flowed into my veins alongside the flaming gold of my sunlight power. _

_As I became aware of my physical surroundings again, Whopper's head twitched. Something was pushing its way out of the fish's mouth. It was Ume! Wet, bedraggled, and half-drowned, but Ume all the same. Kokari gave a cry of joy and tried to hug his furry friend. But Ume pushed past the boy and growled at me. I realized that the Canine Tracker was hovering nearby again…and apparently the sight of this made Ume as angry as it had Warrior Tei and Take. Ume said that his name was Jin, bearer of the orb of Justice and that he would be the one to test my strength. I was impressed. Despite his ordeal, he was still willing to fight me._

_Ume charged at me and I dodged. He was fast, but not as fast as Tei and Take. Being half-drowned tends to slow one's reflexes. I easily evaded his lunges. When he staggered, I leapt forward, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and forced Ume to the ground. He lay there a moment, stunned and shivering. I let go and stepped back. Kokari was staring at me with wide, frightened eyes; he could not understand Ume's growled challenge earlier. As soon as I stepped back, he ran forward and cradled Ume, rubbing his fur, trying to dry him. The dog raised his head and looked at me with eyes full of inner conflict. Ume knew that, as Warrior Jin, it was his duty to help defeat Crimson Helm. But Ume explained that Kokari and his father had saved him from death years ago and thus he owed them a great debt. He could not repay that debt if he returned to Princess Fuse. _

_Then Ume's orb began to glow, then rose to circle me, along with Take's orb. I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd thought that Take's relinquishment of his orb might have been a fluke, but it seemed that when the Canine Warriors were torn between duty to their mistress and a new duty that commanded their loyalty, then the orbs gave them a choice: to stay or return. I nodded to Ume, thanking him. My ears pricked up at the sound of Kokari's father calling for them. I turned as disappeared back into the forest as his father found them. They would be all right. I had to return to Kamiki Village to see the last Canine Warrior…and hope that his orb would be as understanding about conflicts in duty. _

_I loped through the trees out to the windswept plain of Shinshu Field, my way lit by the moon above me. I caught Kushi's scent on the path; somehow, she had managed to drag the massive barrel of spring water back to the village. Light shown in the windows of her rice mill and my sharp ears heard her humming, despite the late hour. She really did love her work making sake. _

_Mushi's home was also lit and I smelled cooked turnips. I pushed open the door and was somewhat disappointed to see that Mushi and his mother had already finished eating. But someone was missing: Hayabusa, Mushi's dog. I whined uncertainly. Issun asked Mushi where his dog was and Mushi turned away, upset and angry. He said that Hayabusa had stopped listening to him, that he just sat and stared off towards the lake and refused to dig up turnips. Mushi said he didn't need a lazy, disobedient dog, but I could hear the hurt in his words. _

_Now concerned, I went back out into the night to search for Hayabusa. I found him sitting in the shadows near the bridge that spanned the river near Kushi's mill. In my haste to reach Mushi's house, I had passed right by him, unaware. (By this time, I'd stopped listening to the whirring and chiming of the Canine Tracker, and hoped to soon be rid of the annoying trinket.) Hayabusa's ears twitched as he heard my approach, but he did not stir or even turn his head to look. At first, he did not even speak when Issun talked to him. But then, Haybusa noticed the Canine Tracker. His voice was mournful as he asked if we had come to take him back to his mistress, for he was the Canine Warrior Chu, bearer of the Loyalty Orb. But then, what sounded like desperation crept in when he said that he could not leave, that he must not move until the festival._

_Issun exploded. We had spent almost a week searching for and collecting the Canine Warriors and all of them, for one reason or another, had refused the summons until we came for them. And really, two had already returned the orbs, but would not come themselves. I was tired of searching for the Warriors, and apparently so was Issun. The Poncle scolded Hayabusa, demanding to know why he was ignoring the summons of Princess Fuse to stay for a festival._

_Hayabusa growled. I took a step back. Unlike Ume, Hayabusa was not half-drowned, and, unlike me, he had not spent most of the day fighting a giant catfish. He howled and charged. I stumbled back, barely able to twist out of the way. I was more tired than I'd thought. Hayabusa charged again. This time his teeth closed on fur. I snapped at his legs and he released me. We circled each other, snapping and growling. I stepped back…and almost fell. The lake! Hayabusa had pushed me back to the edge of the water. He was close, too close for me to dodge without ending up in the lake. But Hayabusa had forgotten one thing: I was not just any wolf, but a goddess. I sprang straight up into the air, pushed myself forward, then used the post of the bridge to ricochet into Hayabusa. I bowled him over and latch my teeth onto the ruff of fur at his throat. I growled warningly. Enough was enough. I was tired of having to fight the ones who were supposed to be my allies. Hayabusa whined softly. I held him a moment, more then let him go. I tried not to pant or to show how exhausted I was, but I couldn't keep my legs from shaking as I sat. _

_Issun demanded an explanation. Hayabusa slowly rolled over and sat up. He hung his head and said that he was not the real Hayabusa, that the dog Mushi loved so much had actually perished defending the boy's father from demons. He, Chu, had arrived too late to help, and the real Hayabusa's dying wish was that Chu would take his place and protect Mushi. Since they were the same breed with similar markings, no one would ever know. The real Hayabusa had had a vision of an evil arrow from the sky killing Mushi on the night of the full moon during the festival. Ever since that time, Chu had lived in Kamiki Village as Hayabusa. He lifted his head eyes desperate and defiant as he reaffirmed his vow to fulfill Hayabusa's dying wish and protect Mushi. As he said this, the turquoise orb around his neck began to glow, then flew to hover over me. The last Satomi Power orb had been found. Issun and I had promised to return the Canine Warriors, but hopefully the orbs would do. _

_I nuzzled Chu's—no, Hayabusa's cheek, then turned and loped over the bridge towards Shinshu Field. Tired as I was, I wanted to be back at Kusa Village by daybreak. The story Hayabusa had told about the evil arrow reminded me too much of the rite of sacrifice to Orochi. When I had fought Orochi as Shiranui, the victim was chosen by a gleaming white arrow, a mockery of a sacred purification arrow, striking the victim's house. Since Orochi preferred to devour beautiful young maidens, I doubted Mushi was the chosen victim…but that didn't mean that he couldn't suffer when the time came. I knew that Hayabusa's devotion was strong, but I did not want to be away from Kamiki Village when the full moon came. Orochi had returned to the world, and he was undoubtedly hungry. With that chilling thought, I forced my weary legs to carry me more swiftly through the night. _


	14. Fourteenth Scroll: The Gale Shrine

FOURTEENTH SCROLL: THE GALE SHRINE

_A gentle hand on my shoulder roused me from sleep. My eyes snapped open and I tensed, ready to run. But it was just the little girl who took care of the flowers. I must have fallen asleep in her garden when I entered Kusa Village in the predawn hours. I relaxed, yawned, and stretched. The little girl offered me some warm meat dumplings, which I ate with relish. Issun and I shared the fruit tart she gave us for dessert. With a grateful nudge, I walked past the girl towards Princess Fuse's home. It was time to give her the Satomi Power orbs…and tell her about the other Canine Warriors. _

_I nudged open the door to Princess Fuse's home and found the other Canine Warriors lined up on either side of the room. Princess Fuse stood at the far end. Her eyes lit up with anticipation. Alas, Issun had to dash her hopes of the three Warriors ever returning, but we did present the Power Orbs they gave us. Princess Fuse seemed shocked at first, but accepted the lack of compliance in her Warriors with far more equanimity than I'd expected. She was sad that her dogs would not be returning, but glad to know that they were safe and serving others. It seemed that the Power Orbs themselves were what was needed rather than the Warriors. I was relieved that Take, Ume, and Hayabusa would be allowed to stay with their new masters…but would the strength of the remaining five be strong enough to fight Crimson Helm?_

_Suddenly, the orbs that circled Princess Fuse began to glow, then rose in the air. They hovered for a moment while we looked on, jaws, agape, then the orbs circled Issun and I. I jumped, startled, but the Orbs continued to circle me. Princess Fuse gave a cry of surprise and said that the Power Orbs had chosen to serve me. They would help me break the barrier surrounding the Gale Shrine and defeat Crimson Helm. _

_Issun started to protest. After all the trouble we went through to retrieve the Canine Warriors, now we were expected to go in and face a monster alone? I admit that I sympathized with Issun's annoyance. It made the past few days seem like a waste of time. On the other paw, part of me was also relieved. So far I had faced down every foe, won every battle, by fighting alone. Well, Issun was always with me, but he was a spectator, not a combatant. By taking on these challenges alone, I could limit the amount of carnage and avoid harming innocents. The Canine Warriors may be strong enough to face down regular demons and even hold their own against me for a time, but against a demon who was once part of Orochi…that was an entirely different level. So I nodded to Princess Fuse and her Canine Warriors, accepted their wishes and prayers for safety and good fortune in battle, and headed for the entrance to the Gale Shrine._

_A path of stone steps behind the house passed under a torii gate crowned with purple flames. Beyond the steps was a clearing and yet another torii gate leading to a tunnel in the side of the cliff. I paused before entering the tunnel. I thought that perhaps the seal would be here, but I could not see or smell one covering the entrance to the tunnel. Perhaps the true entrance to the Gale Shrine lay inside. I took a deep breath and plunged into the dark._

_The circling Satomi Power Orbs gave off just enough light to see by. The tunnel sloped down to a pair of pools surrounded by stalagmites. A narrow path spanned the water, leading to a door that flickered with angry red light. That had to be the seal. But something else caught my eye. At the foot of the bridge sat Susano! He must have come to the Shrine after protecting Kushi…but because of the seal, he could not enter the Shrine. I walked up to him, but, amazingly enough, he was asleep while sitting upright and muttering about prayer opening a way into the Shrine. I shook my head. At least he was out of harm's way here. I turned my attention to the sealed door. _

_Something made my hackles rise as I approached. There was an odd scent…something that reminded me of death and cold winds. But it didn't seem to be coming from the sealed door, which crackled with dark energy. Then, I saw it. Floating above the door was the translucent figure of a man. He wore pale green priest robes and a hate shaped like a windmill trailing stripes of sacred paper. Although the odd tingling scent that accompanies spirits was present, I could sense no malice, only watchfulness and worry. _

_Either Issun has more abilities than I know, or if simply being close to me enhanced his spiritual awareness, but he noticed the spirit and commented on it. The spirit jumped (which was an odd sight), surprised that we could see him. Then he introduced himself as Yatsu, an earthbound spirit. Even though his eyes were sealed shut, Yatsu could see my true form, referring to me as a "fair maiden." He warned me to leave and avoid the terrible beast that lurked within, for this was no place for the fair of face. The only person who had come to the shrine before me was Susano, who Yatsu described as "frenzied," his dreams filled with nightmares that the dead priest was unable to alleviate. Something blocked his attempts to help. _

_An ache filled my chest. The saddest of plights belonged to earthbound spirits, those who were unable to ascend due to trauma or some uncompleted task. They could wander for decades, even centuries, before finding rest, cursed to see all things according to their true nature, rather than the shadows we wear to protect our sanity. Lingering in the mortal realms was unnatural for spirits and, if they were trapped for too long, they could become dangerous, twisted, and may even change into demons. Then I remembered something I'd overheard from the gossiping women at the well, that there had been a priest who was killed by Crimson Helm when it took up residence in the Shrine. That priest was also Princess Fuse's husband. And suddenly I knew, without a doubt, that this spirit Yatsu was that self-same priest and husband. I wondered if Princess Fuse knew her husband's spirit was here. The thought made me want to howl, but I swallowed the impulse. I am a goddess, but I cannot bring back the dead and mourning would not help matters. His concern for Susano's mental well-being also concerned me. Was it possible that Susano wasn't just overreacting to my brushwork, that perhaps he or his sword really was possessed by some force? _

_Then Yatsu noticed the Satomi Orbs. His demeanor of fear and worry changed. The Orbs changed everything. With them, he said I had a chance of defeating Crimson Helm, with the blessings and protection of the Satomi House. With a bow, Yatsu floated to the side of the door and the Power Orbs began to glow. They ceased orbiting around me and flew to the door sealing the passage. There was a ring of indentations in the stone and each Orb fit into the depressions perfectly. Rainbow light flashed, and the seal on the door shattered. With a harsh grinding noise, the door rose into the ceiling, opening the path. The Satomi Power Orbs did not reappear. Perhaps breaking the seal had been their only function. I was a little sorry to lose them, as they were treasures to Princess Fuse. But I had no idea how to retrieve them. _

_I nodded to the dead priest, silently promising to rid the shrine of Crimson Helm and free Yatsu from his servitude, Susano from his nightmares, and Kusa Village from the deadening fear that engulfed it. But before I could take a step forward, Susano raced past me, babbling of how the gods had answered his prayers to open the shrine for him. I tried to follow, but there was some kind of resistance in the air, perhaps the last remnants of the seal fading. It had no affect on a mortal like Susano, it slowed me down. By the time I forced my way through, Susano was gone. I growled in frustration. When would that man learn not to run headfirst into danger? _

_The air in the cavern was still and damp. The floor continued to slope downward, which concerned me. If this was the Gale Shrine, why was it so far underground? I could smell something else in the air…something like fire and burnt bones. But the scent was faint, so I ignored it for now. At the bottom of the tunnel was a glowing lake. Some kind of mineral in the water that made it shine, as if lit from within…or perhaps it held the same water as the Mermaid Springs scattered throughout Nippon. I circled it and moved on. _

_Another gate stood on the far side of the water, leading to a long flight of stone steps. At the bottom, the cave opened up in to a vast circular cavern. I approached cautiously, and was glad I did. A narrow L-shaped bridge with a windmill on each end spanned the cavern. A small platform connected the bridge to the stone tunnel. It had no railings and I peered over the edge. Wind whistled past my ears and I felt dizzy. The chasm seemed bottomless. It stretched down into darkness, too far for me to see the bottom…and much to far for me to survive a fall. I craned my head back to look upwards, and saw a mixture of wood and stone rising in a circle to make the gigantic shaft. It was huge beyond comprehension, larger than anything I'd ever seen built by human hands on Nippon. Huge the same manner as the giant misshapen statue in the Tsuta Ruins. This place could not have been built by mortals. Or, if it had, it must have taken them centuries to construct it. _

_I tested the bridge with my paw, and it seemed sturdy enough to hold my weight. I was unsure of the purpose of the windmills set at the entrance and exit of the bridge. There did seem to be an opening to another cavern across the gap, but the bridge turned at a right angle away from it, leading to a different chamber. This chamber was made of wood and was also very spacious. A strange latticework created a nonagon shaped chamber in the center of the room. The entrance was barred by a metal gate with a leering orange face with a lolling purple tongue and single mad eye. It was something known as a Lockjaw, a special kind of demon used to seal doorways. They could not be cut or dissipated by any conventional means, but they did have a fatal flaw. To create a Lockjaw, one also needed an exorcism arrow. It acted as a kind of balance. As long as they were kept within a certain radius of one another, the Lockjaw's power would hold. If the arrow was taken away, the Lockjaw would turn to stone. If the arrow was brought too close to the Lockjaw, it would act as a key and "unlock" the door, destroying both the arrow and the demon. If there was a Lockjaw here, that meant this wicker room was important. It also meant that the key was somewhere nearby. _

_I sniffed all around the circular wooden room, ignoring the cackles of the Lockjaw. Once I was sure there were no hidden doors or passages, I returned along the windmill bridge and climbed the stairs back to the glowing pool. Right away I noticed a passage leading off from it. At the end of the very long, winding tunnel was a small chamber with a Demon Gate in the center. My hackles rose and I snarled. The key had to be hidden beyond the Demon Gate. I plunged through, ready for battle._

_None of the usual imps, tengu, or fish demons appeared. This time, I had a new foe. It looked like a turtle mated with a boiling pot of water. The shape of it reminded me of the bud demons in Tsuta Ruins and I lifted my lips into a smile, showing my teeth. Such demons had powerful armor, but once stunned, they were easy prey. The demon leapt into the air, seeking to crush me. I dodged and lashed out with my Divine Instrument, forcing it to the ground. It spun, tucking in its head and using its armor as a powerful defense. I timed my strike carefully, hitting its softer underbelly and interrupting its spin. The demon collapsed, stunned, and I attacked again. The lid on the demon's back flew upwards with each strike and water fountained from its back. One of the plumes of water touched me and I leapt backwards, yelping in pain. The water was scalding hot! Luckily the demon was still stunned, so I used my Celestial Brush to finish it off. _

_As soon as the demon's body vanished and the barrier dissipated, a glowed arrow appeared. I picked it up, wincing a little at the burn on my back, and raced from the cave and back to the vast wooden chamber. The arrow did its work, removing the Lockjaw demon and allowing me to enter the wicker room. It was very strange. The floor felt…bouncy, as if it wasn't properly anchored to the walls. On the floor, there were three designs, like half of a yin-yang symbol. The first glowed blue and had a single black mark. The other two were dull grey and had two and three brush marks each. In the center of the floor was an orange circle with Bakugami's symbol drawn on it. Curious, I stepped into the room and then drew a Cherry Bomb, but I was ready to leap backwards out of the room at the slightest hint of a trap. _

_It wasn't a trap, but something very, very strange happened. When the bomb appeared, the circle seemed to…swallow it, leaving only a small puff of smoke behind. Then, I felt the bomb explode beneath me and the floor was propelled upward at an astonishing pace. The force of it flattened me to the floor. When the movement stopped, the second symbol shown green, and green light filtered through the wicker walls. I hurried off of the strange elevator, not eager to drop back down and have to repeat the ride. _

_However, I realized almost immediately that I would have to use the elevator again. There was only one room with nothing in it but a Demon Scroll. I had not reached the top of the Gale Shrine yet. Angry, I attacked the Demon Scroll, finding yet another water kettle demon waiting for me. Like the previous demon, once I had dispatched it, an exorcism arrow appeared. So there was another Lockjaw demon guarding the next floor. I returned to the elevator and found that it had fallen back to ground level once again. I sighed and jumped, confident that this fall I would survive with ease. This time, when the explosion propelled me to the second floor, I drew another Cherry Bomb, giving the elevator enough power to reach the third floor. As expected, another Lockjaw awaited us. The arrow took care of it quickly enough and we stepped into the room. _

_No Demon Scrolls waited for me here, but I still searched the place thoroughly before moving out to the balcony. I kept expecting a trap, an ambush…something. Getting here had been far too easy. What was Crimson Helm waiting for? Surely it could not be unaware of our presence? Issun seemed unconcerned, but I was still nervous. Nothing was on the outer balcony either. I looked down…and wished I hadn't. It was a long, long, _long_ way down. The air felt thin and cold, but strangely still. I looked around and realized that we were almost at the top of the massive windmill we'd spotting from Taka Pass. And a narrow flight of stairs led ever higher. _

_I may be a goddess, but I am not enamored of high places. Especially not _this_ high. I was not a bird. If I fell, I would die. Climbing the stairs slowly and carefully was not very difficult. But I dreaded the return trip. Stairs are designed for two-legged creatures, not four. Issun teased me a little as I climbed, trying to distract me from the fear that threatened to overwhelm me. _

_Finally, after far too long a time, I stepped off the narrow steps onto a broader wooden walkway that led up wide, enclosed steps and out onto a platform. As I stepped out, metal bars dropped down behind me, trapping us. I tensed, waiting for the inevitable attack…but there was nothing. After several minutes, I relaxed enough to move forward and look around. The small, round platform was set right on the middle of the huge cloth blades of the windmill. We were at its center, its height. The view was astonishing. I could see so far…yet the air still had an unnatural darkness to it when it should have been crisp and clear. An odd darkness swirled in front of the windmill, holding back the divine wind. _

_Issun suggested that I try using my Celestial Brush to force the darkness in the opposite direction. I had not gained the power of wind, but perhaps here, in this sacred place, it would be enough. I called on my power and drew a spiral running counter to the pattern of evil before us. A stiff breeze blew past us and part of the evil cleared, becoming light and fresh. The evil didn't completely dissipate, but it was a start. Twice more I reversed the evil winds, feeling the fresh, clean power grow stronger with each stroke. With the last brushstroke, the air cleared and the sky turned blue. I could feel the heaviness of the air, the evil that had oppressed me each time I set foot in Kusa Village, finally lift. A slow grinding noise filled the air as the blades of the windmill which had been stilled for so long began to move. As the windmill spun, I felt my heart lift and I sprang into a series of delighted somersaults. Issun cheered, just as happy as I was. _

_Once we both calmed down, we looked out over the now-clear countryside. My fear of falling was overwhelmed by the beauty spread around us. I sighed, feeling at last some measure of peace and contentment. Then, the sky grew dark again. I looked up, wondering if, at least, Crimson Helm would show itself. But it wasn't the mysterious demon, but rather the appearance of a constellation. Kazegami, Horse God of the Wind, the embodiment of freedom, appeared. He reared, whinnying with joy and galloped through the strange, parchment-like realm that seemed to surround me whenever I encountered a Brush God. I quickly intercepted Kazegami before he could run too far. Exuberant as he was about his freedom, he could not go before granting me full access to the power of wind. He granted his aid and vanished._

_I shook myself, feeling the strength of the wind course through me. With barely a thought, I drew a gust of wind to turn a small windmill set over the barred door behind me. As the little windmill spun, the bars rose, allowing me passage back into the Shrine. Climbing down the stairs was not easy (how can it when your rear end is up higher than your front?) but I managed. Crimson Helm was not above the Gale Shrine, so the only place he could be was below it. And now, armed with the wind, I had a demon to slay. _


	15. Fifteenth Scroll: Crimson Helm

FIFTEENTH SCROLL: CRIMSON HELM

_Back on the L-shaped bridge spanning the massive chasm, I examined the windmills on each end. Now that I had the power of the wind, I could make them turn…and see what happened. I called on Kazegami's power and a gust of wind made the dusty windmills creak. With a ground of wood against stone, the bridge slowly swung in the direction of the wind to a new chamber, one that I could not reach before. _

_Before me was a long dark hall flanked with columns. Torches blazes in sconces high on the pillars, too high to cast much light on the floor. I could hear the faint squeaking and scuttling of mice. This part of the shrine had seen better days; one of the massive columns had fallen at an angle. The smell of something burning was stronger here. The only sign that this was part of the Gale Shrine was several hanging wall scrolls depicting Kazegami. They barely fluttered in the still air. I circled around the fallen column, but my progress was halted by a gate. A search of the ground level showed no levers or contraptions to open the way. I turned my attention back to the column. Perhaps I could use it to climb up and get a better look around. Luckily the column was wedged tightly in place, so it did not roll when I clambered up. _

_Here, the torchlight was more useful. I found a latticework of beams supporting the other columns, as well as a few Konohana Blossoms. From my perch at the top of the column, I could see an exit on a balcony overlooking the impassable gate. I sniffed the air. The smell of smoke and burned bones wafted from the balcony. So, that was where I needed to go. There was only one problem: I couldn't reach the balcony. The span was too far to jump and there were no Konohana Blossoms for me to use my Vine Brush._

_Then Issun pointed out the Kazegami banner-scrolls. They were made of a thick, heavy cloth, and if the wind blew hard enough…perhaps I could use them to cross the gap. I woofed an agreement with the plan, and braced myself for the initial gust. As soon as the banners lay flat in the wind, I leapt. Once, twice…the banners started to waver. I leapt…and fell beween the banners. I growled and raced back up the column to try again. Jumping from banner to banner was harder than it looked! This time when I felt the banners start to waver halfway through, I called on more wind from Kazegami. Three, four, five…and my paws touched solid wood once more. _

_I pushed through a pair of doors and entered a smaller, narrower corridor. Lanterns were strung along the walls, lighting my path. Directly in front of me, barring the way a few lengths down the hall were some strange ceramic pots shaped like dragon heads. As I approached, flames shot from them, forming a curtain of fire. The heat in such an enclosed space was intense. Once more, the wind served me, blowing out the flames long enough for me to jump over them. Two more fiery barricades greeted me and were dealt with just as easily. _

_I felt some level of annoyance. This was what everyone was afraid of? For a powerful demon, this Crimson Helm had pretty poor defenses. Issun reminded me that, if we didn't have the Celestial Brushes, we too would be hard-pressed to advance. Before gaining the Galestorm Brush, the only Brush that could have dealt with the flames would have been Nuregami's Waterspout technique, and that Brush was useless without a source of water. I growled because Issun was right. With each Brush, I was becoming stronger. But I had to remember that the Brushes had their limits._

_The last pair of doors at the end of the hall opened into a vast stone chamber. Free-standing columns with dark torch sconces stood in a ring. It looked like some kind of arena. Through the gloom, I could just barely make out some sort of shrine on the far side of the arena. I sniffed the air, but could not smell anything unusual. That was odd. The scent of fire and bones had come from this place, I was sure of it. And yet there seemed to be no sign of Crimson Helm. _

_I entered the ring of columns cautiously, wary of a trap. The shrine became more distinct, and I saw something strange. In the center of the shrine, in a place of honor, was a strange statue. It was made of eight purple crystals, each with a different elemental symbol engraved on it. A snarl forced its way from between my teeth. I knew that configuration of symbols. Orochi._

_Issun recognized it too. At least, as the Serpent Crystal, the one that could dispel the barrier from Orochi's cave. The one you sent me to look for, Waka. I found it. But taking it could be another matter. I raced forward, hoping to snatch the crystal, but when I reached the center of the ring, I felt a change in the air. It became dark and full of hate. The dark sconces mounted on the columns burst into flames. The flames rose and swirled into a fireball above my head. I tensed and leapt out of the way as the fire exploded. Something huge and heavy hit the ground. _

_Standing before me was a monster. It looked like a bull, but with a serpent face and a pair of human arms wielding katanas. Its entire body was covered in armor and its head was crowned with a red helmet. Fire burned in its eyes and its skin glowed like hot coals. Smoke and heat poured from its nostrils as it roared a challenge. So this was Crimson Helm. Suddenly a blur of rainbow light encircled Issun and I. The Satomi Power Orbs had reappeared! I could feel their protective energies surround us. _

_Just in time. Crimson Helm struck with one of the swords, too fast for me to see. The word struck a barrier…and one of the Satomi Orbs disappeared in a flash of colored light. So. This shield was limited. If I planned on surviving this fight, I would have to be quick. I darted in and struck with my Divine Instrument. Embers flew and my weapon was deflected. I tried my Power Slash but to no effect. Desperate, I slashed again and again with my Divine Instrument. I hooked under the edge of the armor and pulled hard. The armor came off, almost like a second skin, revealed the skeleton of a massive bull wreathed in flames. The heat drove me back. Before the armor could return, I called on my Galestorm and blew out the flames. Crimson Helm's heart still glowed like a coal in its bony chest, so I had to move fast. While the flames were out, I battered the skeleton. _

_I wasn't quite fast enough. The armor returned to shield the vulnerable body and I narrowly missed being cut on two by a swipe from one of Crimson Helm's now-flaming swords. Its sword strikes were fast and the flames burned hot, but the demon was slow to turn and was vulnerable from behind. I pulled the armor from the bones a second time, blew out the flames, and drew a Cherry Bomb. I leapt out of the way of the explosion. When the smoke cleared, the flaming skeleton still stood. I snarled in anger as the armor covered it once more. How could I kill this thing? _

_Then Crimson Helm reared up on its hind legs and raised its swords above its head. They glowed with flames and I felt a strange tremor. Then the ground beneath me began to crack, letting eerie purple light shine through. Not good. If Crimson Helm destroyed the arena… But the ground did not crack apart. Instead, the purple ring flashed, and eight flaming serpent heads rose from the earth. Orochi! Here?! Now?! I wasn't ready. I wasn't strong enough to fight it yet. I didn't have all of the Celestial Brushes! Crimson Helm took a few steps back to be better protected by its patron. I growled and crouched to leap._

_But someone beat me to it. A familiar brash voice rang out amidst the flames. It was Susano! Armed only with a wooden sword, he lunged at one of Orochi's fiery heads. In desperation, I channeled my Power Slash through his sword. With my power in his sword, Susano's blows struck true, splitting the flaming heads. As he struck, the heads vanished until only Crimson Helm remained. So the fiery heads were just constructs created by the demon to confuse us, not actual manifestations of Orochi. With barely a pause, Susano called for wind, spinning in a circle. For a split second I was confused…then I smiled and called up a Galestorm to fuel his attack. Once, twice, three times he called for wind and the strike he delivered cut through the demon's helmet. The now-empty bones collapsed to the floor, sending a circle of purple magic into the air._

_I took a few steps forward, hoping to congratulate Susano…but he was having none of it. He knew, after that last attack, that his success was not due to his own strength. He screamed up at the shrine, to the gods, demanding to know why they tormented him, why he was given the burden of being Nagi's descendent. I was taken aback. I had no idea that Susano was so unhappy about being descended from Nagi. I thought such a thing would be an honor…but apparently Susano did not see it that way. He saw it as a burden, a curse, not a gift._

_As Susano's anger reached its height, purple flame burst from Crimson Helm's corpse. Susano froze, then turned to look. I watched in horror as a shadowy shape rose into the air, seething with malice and evil power. Like the fires, this was not Orochi, just a shadow…but unlike the fire heads, which were constructs of Crimson Helm, this was real. This was truly Orochi's power manifesting. The head stooped towards a terrified Susano. I tried to race forward, to help him, but a barrier stopped me. I barked, urging Susano to run, but he seemed paralyzed. He seemed to be hearing voices…voices I couldn't detect. He held his head, weeping, screaming, then something seemed to break and he ran from the chamber. The shadowy head turned my way, then rose into the air and vanished._

_Both Issun and I swallowed hard. That was far too close to the real Orochi for comfort. I turned back towards the Serpent Crystal's shrine…and let out a bark of surprise. You turned, Waka, holding the crystal, the thief with his hand in the rice basket. I leapt for the crystal, but you were too swift. I landed on the steps in front of the shrine while you floated down to perch on one of the railing posts. I growled and Issun demanded the Serpent Crystal. After all, we were the ones who came all this way, fought all these demons, to get here. You had done nothing, yet were taking the reward. A dangerous reward, at that._

_You laughed and admonished me, saying that only you could use the power of the Serpent Crystal. Only you could dispel the barrier surrounding Orochi's prison. Uneasiness filled me. I wasn't interested in dispelling the barrier. I wanted the Serpent Crystal to make sure no one would try such a thing! Then the cave shuddered with the vibrations of a familiar roar. Orochi sensed the crystal. He knew we had the key to his release. _

_And then…you laughed, Waka. You laughed and told Orochi to wait. That you would be there soon._

_You have no idea how much it sickened me to hear those words, Waka. How much pain they caused me, how much fury. You treated this like a game when Orochi's release would bring calamity to the land. Undo all the work I had done. And quiet likely would mean my death. When I faced Orochi one hundred years ago in the incarnation of Shiranui, I was in peak condition. I had all of my power, all of my Celestial Brushes. And yet that victory cost me my life. Now I would have to face Orochi at half strength and win or all would be lost. I thought you were an ally, even if you were not necessarily a friend. But I still… I thought…_

_But perhaps I was wrong. And as I watched you fly from that chamber with a cheerful wave, I howled in helpless confusion. I did not understand how someone who seemed to know me so well could do such a thing. I ran from the chamber, hoping against hope that I'd misread you. That there was another explanation for your actions. That what I feared was not true. _


	16. Sixteenth Scroll: Sacrifice

SIXTEENTH SCROLL: SACRIFICE

_I raced back through the tunnels of the Gale Shrine towards the surface. I knew you would be far ahead of me, Waka, for you could fly and I could not. Still, I had to try. I had no idea how long the ritual to lift the barrier would take, so perhaps I still had a chance to stop you._

_Princess Fuse's glad cry greeted me as I reentered the cave. I was surprised to see her, and even more surprised to see the lazy Canine Warriors accompanying her. But then I heard the now-faint voice of Yatsu. I looked up at the spirit-priest. The windmill on his hat was now turning with a ghostly wind, and his form was now more transparent. His fears for his village had been his anchor, but now that Crimson Helm was gone and the Gale Shrine restored, he could at last, rest. He looked over at Princess Fuse and the Canine Warriors, a mixture of sorrow, fondness, and pride on his face. Then, with a final blessing, he rose and faded away. I watched, and felt both grief and relief. At last, Yatsu was free, but it would be a long time before he and Princess Fuse could be reunited in Heaven. _

_The Princess asked us what we were looking at and I gave a soft whine. She had been denied even a final glance of her husband, and had no idea that his spirit had lingered all this time as a guardian. Issun felt as uncomfortable and sad as I did, for he quickly changed the subject. He urged her to continue protecting Kusa Village as head priestess, which made Princess Fuse smile and agree. She seemed stronger now that when we had first met her, and I could sense the deep bond of affection she had for the Canine Warriors, despite their lazy ways. I gave a swift bark of farewell to the Warriors, nodded to Tei, and raced from the cave. There was no time to waste. I had to reach the Moon Cave._

_As we raced through the now-quite breezy Kusa Village, Issun kept muttering fretfully about the shadowy form of Orochi that had appeared in the Gale Shrine. Like me, Issun knew that we weren't ready to fight Orochi. Or rather, _I_ was not ready (since I was the one who did all the fighting). I did not possess all of the Celestial Brushes, and that could be a severe handicap. Issun ran over the legend of Shiranui and reminded me of the 8 Purification Sake. Now it was used in the annual festival, but when the sake was first used, Nagi used it to get Orochi's eight heads drunk so it would be easier to defeat the beast. Since Kushi was brewed sake for the festival, Issun suggested bringing it with us when we went to the Moon Cave. Just in case. I barked my agreement. It was a good idea, and we needed all the advantages we could get. I kept a wary eye on the sky, for it was later in the day that I'd expected, and encountering Orochi at night was not something I was particularly keen on._

_Rather than trying to deal with the nonexistent ferry route, I ran up to the Hitoshiro Spring and found the path that Kushi must have used to carry water from the spring back to the village. I could faintly detect her scent on the ground. The path led through a tunnel to a ledge overlooking Shinshu Field. _

_The second I stepped onto the ledge, I realized that something was dreadfully wrong. The sky was dark and stormy, like it was going to begin raining any second. The sky swirled black and violet, and the air was heavy, but not with the scent of rain. Something else was going on. Then, from behind the clouds, I saw the full moon start to rise above the entrance to Kamiki Village. A chill ran down my spine as I leaped from the ledge and loped towards the village. The night of the full moon was when the annual festival started celebrating Orochi's destruction. But now Orochi was about to be freed. Was the 8 Purification Sake ready? _

_The ominous feeling did not ease as I entered the village. A crowd of people had gathered outside Susano's home. I could see Old Man Orange jumping up and down with rage and shouting. A combination of curiosity and foreboding filled me as I approached the crowd. I saw Mrs. Orange, Kushi, and little Mushi with his dog there, among others. My heart sank as I heard Old Man Orange demanding an explanation as to why Susano drank the 8 Purification Sake. Issun jumped in surprise and asked if Susano had consumed all of the sake. Mrs. Orange nodded sadly and urged Susano to come out, for they weren't angry. (Which wasn't true. Old Man Orange certainly was furious and, actually, so was I. Without that sake, my chances of defeating Orochi became grim indeed.) Mushi said that Susano returned to the village acting crazy, drank all the sake, and then barricaded himself inside his house. Not a single drop was left of Kushi's brew._

_Then Susano's drunken voice came from within. He said that he was to blame, that he was the reason Orochi had returned. With growing horror, I listened as Susano confessed to his great crime. Tired of being told how wonderful it was to be a descendent of Nagi, Susano became determined to prove that the legend was just that: a legend. He went to the Moon Cave and removed Nagi's sword Tsukuyomi from its place in the shrine, which released Orochi. Susano was the one who placed the boulder in the pass to close off Kamiki Village from the rest of Nippon, and then hid. After that, his travels throughout the land were an attempt, not of bravado, but of desperation and fear, an attempt to escape from what he'd done. Now he believed the gods had punished him and that he would never be free until he slew Orochi._

_So I was right. It was a human fool who had released Orochi from his imprisonment…but some of my anger faded. Susano sounded so upset and pitiful…and, unlike gods or spirits, humans live such short lives that it is easy for truth to become the stuff of myths, legends, and fairy tales. And when they forget, when they stop believing, all kinds of misfortune befalls them. Carrying a great heritage or coming from a distinguished family is a heavy burden to bear, one that, apparently Susano could not handle. _

_But that still left us with a problem: Orochi was coming back, and there was no sake to help me stop him. The other villagers were equally terrified by Susano's words. Old Man Orange was shaking and mumbled that, if this was true…then the rite of sacrifice may be…_

_A roar shook the earth. I knew that sound. I leaped onto nearby boulder and looked toward the full moon hanging swollen and ominous in the black sky. Something flashed. The eight symbols of Orochi formed a glowing circle, then merged into a ball of purple-white flames. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the villagers run onto the bridge behind me to see what was happening. The flames coalesced into a white arrow. It hung in the sky for a second, then shot towards us. Too fast! The arrow was heading straight for the villagers! I leapt for them, knocking them out of the way and pulling Old Man Orange from its path. Hayabusa jumped and yanked Mushi away from the arrow. With a flash, the arrow embedded itself into a wall. The villagers slowly picked themselves up and looked at the arrow. I thought my heart could sink no lower, but this sight proved me wrong. Gleaming coldly in the moonlight was Orochi's sacrificial arrow, piercing the roof of Kushi's house. _

_Everyone stood speechless. Kushi's face was white and she stood frozen for a moment. I thought she might cry out or weep, but she did neither. Instead, she took a deep breath, and turned towards Susano's house. She called out to him and told him that she didn't think that he was a coward, that she had faith in him. That she knew he would Orochi and save her once more. In that moment, she reminded me so much of Nami. Her faith in and love for Susano was that strong. _

_Then Kushi turned, hurried into her house, and reappeared in a white funeral gown and bearing a glowing golden pitcher. She said that this was the Thunder Brew, her crowning achievement, a lifetime of work, and she would use it to intoxicate Orochi. Before anyone could stop her, she ran from the village with the sake. Old Man Orange tried to chase her, but he could not keep up. I looked over at Susano's house, but there was no sign of him. Kushi was going to fight Orochi as best she could, and I feared that her hero would prove to be a disappointment. While Mr. and Mrs. Orange called for Susano to come out, Issun and I chased after Kushi._

_We caught up to her just outside Shinshu Field. She was on her knees with the jar of sake beside her, trying to catch her breath. Issun tried to talk her out of going. After all, what could one tired maiden with some sake do against this monster that even the Sun Goddess could not fully defeat? But Kushi was determined. Orochi had caused so much suffering in the world, she was determined to use her sake to defeat him. Her brave words touched me. Part of me was still afraid of going up against Orochi now, but this frail mortal girl was willing to try…and I, a goddess, could do no less. Her courage inspired me, sent new strength flowing through my veins, and I felt the eager stir within at the prospect of battle. _

_I gently nudged Kushi, and then knelt beside her. Issun sputtered, but Kushi seemed to understand. As much as I would have liked to keep her out of harm's way, if the sacrificial maiden was not sent to the Moon Cave, Orochi would break out that much sooner and cause untold destruction. We had to go to the Moon Cave together. I would distract Orochi, allowing Kushi to intoxicate him, and then I would kill him. She smiled, nodded, and carefully sat down on my back with the jar of Thunder Brew Sake. With Kushi on board, I ran through Shinshu Field, then down the slope past the hapless priest Mika, and on towards the massive torii gate._

_The sky beyond the gate had changed from the eerie green glow on black ink to something more fiery and ominous. The sky had turned dark and smoky, swirling with noxious fumes and flashes of blood-red lightning. The trees and bushes along the pathway were dead and blackened, and the mouth of the Moon Cave pulsed with and evil purple light. And there you stood at the cusp of the abyss, glowing with a pale green-white power of your own. Waka._

_I growled, still uncertain of what exactly you would do. Would you fight with me or against me? But you kept your back to me, only glancing over your shoulder. Kushi slid from by back and stood beside me, uncertain of what was going on. You spread your arms, white wings flaring to either side, and the strange aura around you vanished. With a flourish, you drew the Serpent Crystal and set it to hang in midair in the middle of the barrier. Next, your sword cut through the air in a series of graceful motions, then stabbed, point first, into the ground beneath the Crystal. I could feel the air fill with power. Then you flourished your flute and began to play a sweet, haunting melody. The barrier thickened for a moment, then seemed to turn into hundreds of violet snakes that slithered into the Serpent Crystal. As the last notes of the song faded, the Crystal flashed and vanished. The barrier was gone. The way to Orochi's lair was open._

_You sheathed your sword and turned to us, announcing that the path was open, and my part was done. I stared in surprised. You would take care of the rest? Surely that was not right…Did you mean to fight Orochi yourself? Before Issun or I could say anything, the ground began to shake. Something was coming. Something big. Orochi! _

_A head of darkness wreathed in a blood-red glow lunged from the cave. You flung yourself out of its way and I was knocked aside. The huge jaws closed around Kushi and vanished back into the cave. I scrambled to my feet and raced after her…but faltered as I felt the barrier spring into place behind me. I turned, panicked. How was this possible? I pawed at the barrier, but it was solid. Even Issun with his small size could not get through. I snarled at you, leaning so calmly against a stone. A trap! Was that what this was? But you only laughed and said that only one besides the sacrificial maiden could enter the cave, and what did it matter, for we were planning on going in anyway? Then you gave us a little prophecy, a little rhyme about the moon coming out. I wanted to howl in frustration at such frivolous advice. At such nonsense! But you simply waved goodbye and vanished, leaving Issun and I trapped on the wrong side of the barrier. _

_Issun urged me to forget the barrier for now. Orochi had Kushi and we had to save her before anything else. I shook myself and turned away. In my anger, I'd forgotten what we had come here for. And with Kushi's life in the balance, there was no time. We had to go forward. Issun hopped back onto my head and together we moved deeper into Orochi's lair. _


	17. Seventeenth Scroll: The Moon Cave

SEVENTEENTH SCROLL: THE MOON CAVE

_Noxious fumes filled the air on the other side of the tunnel. The stairway leading to the shrine was crumbling and lit by an unpleasant glow, as if from a sullen fire. At the crown of the stairs swirled eerie purple smoke. Another barrier perhaps? Part of me was frantic and wanted to rush in to save Kushi, but logic urged caution. Orochi might have been aware of my presence on his doorstep, but if I could get even the slightest element of surprise, I would take it. Either way, there would probably be traps. Getting myself out of a trap could take longer than simply trying to avoid it. I advanced cautiously._

_Good thing I did. The path had collapsed, leaving a gap far too wide for me to jump. The purple smoke poured from the crevasse. I realized that the smoke wasn't actually smoke in the traditional sense, but rather a manifestation of Orochi's aura. To me, and perhaps to other beings sensitive to auras, it appeared as smoke. Issun confirmed what I'd suspected, that it was too far to jump over to the other side…but then he suggested that we leap down instead. I tried to give him a shocked look, but that was rather difficult, given his perch. The best I would do was a disgruntled woof. I did not want to jump down there. I couldn't see the bottom. What if there was a pool of that purple-black acid? I would not survive such a welcome. Unfortunately, with no Konohana blossoms, it appeared that I had no choice. I took a deep breath, and leapt._

_We fell for what felt like a long time through darkness, then I saw a glimmer of white. Snow? I landed on something that was white, like snow, but it was hard and had a strange porous feel beneath my paws. I sniffed. Some kind of calcified stone? Or possibly bone? I didn't remember seeing any of this during my last visit to the Moon Cave…but then again, I hadn't jumped down into a creepy hole in the ground either. A high-pitched grating voice challenged me. I whirled._

_Behind me was a stone door with a thick black looping symbol painted or burned onto it. In front of the door stood a pair of imps, the low-class ones. Interesting, I had never heard any demons speak before, not in their natural forms at least. I tensed, ready to fight as one said that it would know my face anywhere. So, tales of my demon-slaying had reached this far? It seemed that my hope for a quick entrance was for naught._

_Then the demon called me a dumb old wolf. And ugly. And harmless. I was floored. Then, adding insult to injury, one tossed me a turnip. My first impulse was to strike them down, but Issun whispered in my ear that it would be better to back away from now and try to find another way inside. We were lucky that these demons didn't know who I was and sounded no alarm. If they did, it would make rescuing Kushi much harder. I reluctantly agreed and backed away from the door to explore the rest of the cavern._

_It was massive. Everything glimmered white and blue, giving it the illusion of coldness and snow, although the cavern was actually only slightly cool and damp. I wasn't sure where the light was coming from; perhaps the stone itself was slightly luminescent? A few paths bridged yawning blue chasms and pillars of white stone supported the ceiling. Everything was smooth-edged and eerily quiet. Then I saw something yellow gleam down the path. I raced over, sniffing. It was the container of Kushi's Thunder Brew! Issun peered inside. Unfortunately the seal had come loose and most of the Thunder Brew had spilled. He said that some was left, but he didn't know if it was enough to affect Orochi. Still, a little was better than none. Issun resealed the sake and I carefully tucked it away in the special between-place where I carried my Divine Instruments. _

_We spent some time exploring the rest of the cavern, but found no other paths or hidden doors. I was getting frustrated when we rounded a stalagmite and almost ran into a demon. Unlike the ones on guard, this one did not take me for a simple wolf. It was taller than the other imps covered in dark grey fur, and carried a small hand drum. It jumped back, beating out a quick tempo on the drum and a group of burning floating skulls appeared. One of the skulls shot a beam of burning light at me. I dodged and slashed. My Divine Instrument connected and the skull exploded, sending the demon reeling back. I took advantage of the distract to break two more skulls, then went in for the kill. _

_As the demon collapsed, something fluttered to the ground. It was a thick slip of parchment, very similar to the one that the demon was wearing, except this was blank. An unclaimed mask. Issun started bouncing around in excitement. An artist with a blank canvass is a terrifying thing. He jumped down and drew a design on the mask. Although his ink was black, on the mask it was red, perhaps due to the strange paper. When Issun was done, he slapped the mask over my face before I could do anything. I growled with impatience. Oddly enough, I could see through the paper…and that's when I realized that Issun had hit upon a possible way to get past those two demon guards. The mask still in place, I ran back to the stone door. _

_I didn't think it would work. Issun was as surprised as I was when the guards, who had seen me pass through not long ago, wave me through the door to help prepare for Orochi's meal without a second look. Perhaps the mask created some kind of aura around me that made me look and smell like a demon. I couldn't think of any other reason why the imps would be fooled so easily…unless they really were just that dim. Still, would my flimsy disguise hold up within Orochi's sanctum?_

_Through the door was a large circular chamber with a wooden floor, various stairways and platforms circling the walls, and a pool of water in the middle with a wood platform with winches and chains that made me think it must be a life of some kind. The imp at the crank was happily, if tunelessly, humming about it being his turn to work the elevator. An eerie purple symbol glowed at the top of the chamber like a bizarre parody of the sun and I realized that Orochi must be on the other side. As for the rest of this place...either this had been here the whole time hidden within the island, or Orochi had been a very busy serpent during the last one hundred years. _

_I followed my nose towards what I assumed was the kitchen, judging from the stench and numerous gargantuan copper pots. The largest was already boiling. Was Kushi already being cooked?! A pair of Konohana blossoms hovered just above the hooks for the pot, so I used Vine to lift the lid. Kushi wasn't in the pot, but someone else was! The demon hauled himself out of the pot, hopping and steaming. He thanked me for rescuing him and introduced himself as Ajimi, the head chef. I think even Issun was taken aback by the chef's garrulous and flirtatious manner. Ajimi wanted our help to locate some special ingredients he needed to finish the appetizer. Apparently Orochi wouldn't eat the main course (that would be Kushi) until his appetizer was ready. I was reluctant to waste time searching the Moon Cave for these elusive ingredients, but, at the same time, it would give me an excuse to go poking my nose around. If I could find Kushi while looking, we could escape. If not, I could go with the appetizer up to Orochi when it was ready. With some reservations, I agreed._

_What followed was perhaps the most insane part of my journey to date. If the Moon Cave was a living being, it would be insane. This place! I have no words for the insanity of this place! How the imps got around without the benefit of the Celestial Brush is beyond me. First, I had to go swinging from Heavenly Lotus to the next, all the while aware that one miss would send me plummeting to my death. Each Lotus was pointing downward at the lake of acid, so as soon as I neared one flower, I had to immediately send out a new vine to the next. Once across the lake, it was simple enough to kill the few demons on the other side and collect an ogre liver, the first ingredient. Then I repeated the crazy trapeze act to return to the other side. _

_I was about to race back to the kitchen when I noticed a small water geyser. Curious, I used my Water Spout Brush to ride up to a small tunnel, which, in turn, led to the next platform. Slowly but surely I was making my way up towards the ceiling. I saw a bowl of water that also had a collection of water power in it and used Water Spout to reach the second platform. I passed through another door to a very narrow and rickety wooden bridge. I saw what looked like a door on the far side and raced across. The bridge shuddered under me, then collapsed into ragged splinters. Luckily we didn't fall too far, although I nearly hit the Devil Gate sitting at the bottom. I twisted out of the way just in time, then plunged through the gate to slaughter the surprised demons on the other side. _

_As the Devil Gate vanished, part of the ground was purified, revealing a pool of water. I looked around and saw an imp standing (apparently oblivious to his comrades' demise) near a crank. Nearby was a smaller version of the massive bamboo fountain I'd seen at the Sparrow's inn, and in the side of the cavern wall, there was what looked like some kind of trap door. I could hear the imp moaning and complaining about having to stand and wait for the signal to open or close the valve on the wall. Since I could see no other way out of the pit I'd fallen into, or any other ways to give any sort of "signal" down here, I used my Celestial Brush to move some of the water from the pool into the bamboo fountain. _

_As the water drained, the fountain tipped and gave a hollow thunk. The imp pulled the crank and the valve opened, allowing water to rush in. There wasn't much, so I made some lily pads and then used a Water Spout to reach the valve. Hopefully this would bring me out to a place I could actually climb or jump out of. What greeted me as I exited the valve was another drum-toting skull-swinging demon, which I easily dispatched. I seemed to be standing on some kind of metal plate surrounded by stone. There was a small spring which I could use a Water Spout on and a strange post with an eyeball on it. These watchers weren't especially effective guardians; I'd seen them around before and a single Power Slash could put them out of commission. Curious to find out what would happen, I padded over to the watcher and did just that._

_There was a grinding sound and the metal floor beneath me started to move! I quickly leapt out of the way as the metal plate pulled into two halves and disappeared. What remained was a massive hole with a bubbling pool of purple acid at the bottom. I swallowed hard. Falling here would not be good. I scurried over to the Water Spout and got out of there before my curiosity got me killed. However, as soon as I reached the main level of the cavern again, I wondered if there was anything else down there, another level. It was possible that Kushi was being kept there. I raced around to the imp who held the crank for the lift. The water let out by the valve was the pool I'd seen earlier. Now that it was gone and the shaft was open, the imp didn't seem to be too happy about his job. He held tightly to the winch and refused to lower the elevator._

_Impatient, I started nipping, head-butting, whatever I could to get him to let go. Each time I succeeded, the elevator lowered a little bit, slowly, but steadily. Finally we reached what looked like the opening to a shrine. Another imp was standing there in the entrance to the tunnel. I jumped from the elevator platform. This imp was giggling and muttering to himself, and it made me wonder if he'd been left down here by himself for too long. As the elevator cranked back up out of sight, this imp was chortling about how he'd created a door mechanism that no one could open. I left him, still giggling, at the entrance and raced deeper into the cave. _

_His little lock would be impossible for anyone to open. Anyone except me, that is. His genius plan had four of the evil eyeball staffs guarding a stone door. All of the watchers had to be closed at the same time. I crouched, angling my line of sight until the eyes were all lined up…then slashed! The eyes closed and the door opened. I walked in, hoping to find Kushi…but instead, I saw something strange. The cave was empty, except for a stone statue of a bird encased in ice. It reminded me of the flameless phoenix statues on the raised bridge at the Sei-an City guard post. Issun shivered. This was no ordinary chill. There was something else here. _

_Ice swirled and suddenly a wheel appeared. It was huge, standing easily three times my height and was covered in a spiked shield of snowflakes. In the center of the wheel, freezing the air with its breath, was a mouth. The thing charged; it was fast. I tried to dodge, but the shield brushed my leg. I fell to the ground, my left hind leg incased in ice. Issun slashed at the ice with his tiny sword, trying to break my free. The ice wheel lunged again, and I rolled out of the way. The ice on my leg shattered. Now I was mad. Mad, and scared. So far, I'd always been faster than the demons I fought. My speed and agility gave me an advantage against their strength. This ice could slow me, freeze me and leave me helpless if I wasn't careful. I slashed again and again at the icy shield, trying to keep my distance as much as possible. I hoped to make a break in that armor the way Issun had broken the ice around my leg. I heard the ice crack, then saw it shatter. With a howl, I Power Slashed the ice wheel, stunning it, then finished off with a flurry of attacks._

_Panting, I sat down on my haunches. That was close. I looked up at the frozen statue. A red glow started at its heart, then the ice around it started to melt. Clouds of steam rose, then the ice shattered. Flames roared from the phoenix's wings, bathing the room in light and heat. I basked in it, glorying in the warmth and beauty. I could use water brushes, but fire and light were my true elements. Then, the ceiling darkened, changing into a night sky. A constellation appeared and my tongue lolled out in a wolf smile as the trapped phoenix burst free from his long imprisonment. Of course. This was Moegami, Keeper of the fiery Inferno Brush. Things just became a little bit easier. _

_I used the Inferno Brush to melt the ice in front of a door that led to a second elevator. I felt a little bad for the imp working the winch; he seemed so pathetically happy to have a passenger. The elevator brought me to another door leading into a small room with a Devil Gate and some torches on the left and three massive blocks of ice on the right. I walked through the Devil Gate and found not one, but two ice wheels waiting for me. For a split second, I panicked, but saw that the torches were within the confines of our battlefield. I called on Moegami's power. It only took two blasts of fire to melt the ice wheels. I did manage to hack off the lips of one of them to get the second ingredient for Orochi's appetizer: Lips of Ice. With the Devil Gate gone, I turned my new firepower on the blocks of ice. As they melted, I saw the now-familiar pots and fires of the kitchen. Excellent. I wouldn't have to climb far to reach the place where that rickety wooden bridge used to be and see what that block of ice on the far side was hiding. _

_Even though the bridge was broken, it was a simple matter to restore it with my Celestial Brush and, this time more slowly, walk across. The torches on the far side helped me make short work of the ice block, revealing yet another door. I sighed inwardly. How _did_ the imps get around in here? This was a highly irrational setup…but then again, the Gale Shrine was also rather strange. Thankfully, I did not see another long tunnel before me, just one cavern with a Devil Gate. On the other side was an ice wheel, but also a new demon, a fire wheel with a single mad bloodshot eye in the center. I pulled the flames from the fire wheel to destroy the ice wheel's shield, then slashed the ice wheel apart. I couldn't take shots at both at the same time, but rather focus all my attention on one, destroy it, then turn to the next one. By the time the ice wheel was dead, the fire wheel's flames had returned. No matter. With Kazegami's winds, I blew out the flames, carved out the fire wheel's eye, and tore the rest of it apart. _

_On the far side of the cavern was another ice-blocked door, which, when opened, revealed an exorcism key, probably for one of those Lockjaw demon doors. I grabbed the key and went back out to the platform. As I crossed the bridge, I heard an angry roar reverberate through the Moon Cave. Orochi! He sounded hungry. Who know how long he would wait before he devoured Kushi? I ran faster back to the platform._

_At the far end of the platform, trying to escape from the arrow, was a Lockjaw. I paused just inside the doorway. The cavern beyond was…strange. It was filled with sand. It fell from the ceiling into piles and slid into various depressions. The floor was constantly shifting under my feet. Between that and the skulls that kept appearing and disappearing in the piles of sand, I was rather unnerved. I made my way along very carefully, nearly sliding into one of the pits on my way. _

_Then I reached an apparent dead end. There was an eyeball staff in a pile of sand near the edge of an abyss. I used my Power Slash to close the eye, hoping it would trigger a hidden bridge. Instead, a gust of wind blew from the wall. Sand flew everywhere…and lay across the apparently empty space in front of me. An invisible bridge! I used Galestorm to make the sand blow again, just to be sure (for, like Issun, for a moment I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating), then trotted across. Unfortunatly, once I was on the other side, I had a problem. There was a door, but I could not open the door unless a rather large button was being pushed, which lit a pair of torches. There was nothing heavy enough on this side to sit on the button so I could leave…but back across the invisible bridge I had seen a very large, very heavy round boulder._

_I will spare you the details of this particular trial. Suffice to say, with a great deal of huffing, puffing, head-butting and unhelpful directions from Issun, I managed to get the boulder across and on the button. My head was aching horribly from the abuse, but at least I was through to the platforms on the far side of the central chamber. Up some stairs, snatched by a vine, hopping across a pair of wind-blown banners, and I was onto the next platform. _

_Here we found something interesting: a rotating cannon. This was curious. Perhaps I could use it to blow open a wall. I eyed the far side of the cavern. There was a banner of Orochi directly across, so I decided to shoot at that. I had no real reason to, just a hunch. I watched the canon's rotation, timed it, then lit the fuse. After a few seconds, the canon stopped and fired. A perfect shot! The cannonball blasted a hole in the far wall. _

_Feeling pleased with myself, I raced back along the platform to the new passageway. This one looked like it hadn't been used in a while. Sitting on top of a ledge was a huge blazing round crystal. Although I had the power of fire, that did not make me immune to burns, so rather than head-butting it (like I did with all other spherical objects), I used the Galestorm to roll it down the hall. It took some time and was a little frustrating, but worth it. At the end, just as I'd suspected, more ice blocked my path. A quick fire burst took care of that, and I was into yet another small chamber with yet another Devil Gate. The three demons inside were no match for me, and with their deaths, I found a small chest with a Black Demon Horn in it, the final ingredient for Orochi's stew. I do not think I have ever felt such relief. _

_I raced back to the kitchen to deliver the four ingredients. Ajimi was almost crying with happiness as he completed his masterpiece "dungheap slimebucket goulash"…which yes, smells even worse than it sounds. How this was supposed to make Kushi taste better, I had no idea. Ajimi told me to go ring the epicurean bell to signal that the appetizer was ready. I found the bell in the main hall, a large, grey iron one that looked a bit ominous. The imp by the bell said that it needed to be rung eight times, once for each of Orochi's heads. With a sigh, I obeyed. The bell tolled deep and resonating, making both my ears and my already sore head ring. _

_With the last deep tone, the glowing purple sigil on the ceiling vanished, revealing a circular passage. Four imps carrying the appetizer trundled onto the elevator. The imp cranked the winch and the platform rose before I could jump on. I was forced to wait until the imps returned. The four bearers raced away very quickly and the imp on the elevator seemed shaken by his visit to Orochi's lair. Issun begged the imp to take us up to the throne room so we could see it too. At first the imp was reluctant, but finally relented._

_As the elevator rose, my heart sank into my stomach. I'd been so focused on searching for Kushi and tracking down all those ingredients through the maze of the Moon Cave that I'd forgotten what awaited me. Kushi was nowhere on the lower levels. She had to be Orochi's throne room. Where the eight-headed serpent lurked. I swallowed down a whimper. I was still missing several Celestial Brushes, but it would have to be enough. In a matter of moments, I would be face to face with my ancient enemy once more._


	18. Eighteenth Scroll: Orochi

EIGHTEENTH SCROLL: OROCHI

_The acrid stench of snake and fire met my nostrils as the elevator ground to a halt. Everything was barren heat-baked rock and clay. Next to a few small steps sat the appetizer Ajimi had labored over, abandoned by its imp bearers. Apparently they were too afraid of their lord and master to even walk up the steps. I stepped off the elevator platform and looked around warily, but saw no sign of Orochi. There was only a long spiraling ramp of hard-baked clay arching into the sky. Cliffs blocked my view; I couldn't see what lay beyond or where the spiral led to. It was time._

_I bent and shook my head trying to dislodge Issun. The Poncle shrilled in protest and clung to my fur. I growled and shook harder. I was going into battle, the hardest one yet. Issun may have been safe riding on my head while I battled the smaller demons, but this was Yamata no Orochi, the Eight-Headed Serpent. There was a chance that I would not come out alive and I didn't want to take Issun with me._

_Issun, however, had other ideas. He insisted that we'd come this far together and he was going to see this through. For better or for worse, I was stuck with him. I stopped shaking. Issun was afraid, I could tell. Even _I_, the great Amaterasu, was afraid. Last time I had slept within a stone statue when my earthly perished, but I could not count on that happening a second time. But Issun had stayed with me through all those previous battles. He was often dim, impetuous, and annoying, but he was loyal. And Nippon was his world as much as mine. He had a right to defend it. I whined an apology and pawed at the mask on my face. Issun pulled it off and I felt the strange enchantment that fooled the imps of the Moon Cave dissipate. I didn't need it anymore. When I faced Orochi, I would not hide behind a mask._

_I loped up the great spiral ramp. After three loops, I caught a glimpse of some great amphitheater with curved, teeth-like spires surrounding it. I was too far away to see it properly, so I kept running. Finally the path turned to lead me towards the amphitheater. A reddish haze filled the air and the dry scent of snake became stronger. As I got closer, I saw that a small shrine with a massive bell stood in the center of a ring of cobblestones. Eight symbols were set in pale crystal at intervals in the stone. My fur stood on end. I knew those marks._

_The path came to an end just above the ring. There was still no sign of Orochi. I looked around, expecting to see something, anything…then a glimmer of white just under the shrine's bell caught my eye. It was Kushi! I leapt down and raced for the shrine. _

_A huge roar filled the air, shaking the very ground. The stones around the base of the shrine cracked, a hellish red light shining through. I slid to a halt. Dust plumed from the shaking base; for a second, I thought the shrine would collapse into the ground. Instead, it started to rise. I leapt backwards, away from the shrine and crouched, snarling. The whole world felt like it was shaking itself to pieces. Kushi sat up awakened by the sound and gave a cry. I tensed, ready to leap for her, but the shrine suddenly burst into the sky, whirling like an evil top. A gust of purple energy swirled from it, and the eight heads of Orochi unwound from the base of the shrine, fire blazing from their eyes. They rose, then swooped towards me. _

_Either heads, each with a different samurai helmet and a different symbol of power. Fire. Earth. Poison. Light. Lightning. Water. Wind. Darkness. The underside of each long neck was armored in red, the top in black with baleful white eyes and fang-filled mouths. The heads of Orochi roared in unison and I howled back my defiance. Orochi's voice burrowed into my ears and shook my bones, as he greeted his old foe. The sneer was evident as he claimed a stench of decay hung around me. I was about to retort that one hundred years with no food had dimmed his scales, but Issun leaped down, and pulled the Thunder Brew out of its pocket dimension. He heaved it at the head of fire, the one I considered the speaker for Orochi. _

_The Fire Head caught the golden jar and gulped the brew. With a careless toss of his head, Orochi sent the jar flying. It barely missed hitting me. For a second, the Fire Head hung there, still. I wondered if the brew was having an effect…but then the Fire Head roared. Flames poured from its jaws. It did not seem to have weakened. I snarled and leapt forward, striking with my Power Slash. _

_But my Celestial Brush glanced away from Orochi, leaving no mark. The serpent's body glowed yellow. A barrier! I twisted out of the way of the flames and tried to think of something. Issun sounded frantic as he asked me what we were going to do. I didn't know. If I couldn't break the barrier, I would have no chance at defeating Orochi. _

_Satisfied with my impotence, the eight heads of Orochi rose together and turned inward…towards Kushi. Issun yelled at her to run, but where could she? Overwhelmed, she sat, shaking in fear, unable to escape. The Fire Head descended to engulf her. I have never felt so helpless as I did at that moment. _

_A familiar voice boomed through the amphitheater, ordering the great snake to leave Kushi alone. Orochi's heads snaked around towards the intruder. There, standing on the ledge of the path above was Susano! He folded his arms and challenged the great serpent. Orochi's gleaming Fire Head rose towards Susano. I thought he might run, or at least tremble, like when he saw the shadow of Orochi in the Gale Shrine. But to his credit (and my surprise), he did not flinch, even as Orochi ordered him to form a blood pact and speak the dark oath that would free Orochi from the prison Nagi created for him and allow the demon to spread darkness throughout the land. Orochi's words confirmed Susano's tale, that Susano was the one who pulled the sword from the Moon Cave Shrine, allowing Orochi to unleash a portion of his power, and had continued to torment Susano with guilt and nightmares since then. _

_Orochi's voice grew loud and impatient. I growled, but did not leap into battle. This was Susano's moment. If he did not withstand Orochi's might here, he would never be able to hold his head high again, not as Nagi's descendent and not as a man. We waited, breathless._

_Susano said nothing. Then, he flourished his sword and declared himself a descendent of Nagi and that Orochi would feel his wrath! The Fire Head dove towards Susano, but the warrior stabbed forward with his wooden blade. For a moment, the barrier held, but Susano's fierce determination pushed the sword through to stab the serpent. The Fire Head reared back and roared in pain. _

_As Susano spoke his declaration as one of Nagi's bloodline, Issun tugged at my ear. I turned my head and saw the empty sake jar that Orochi had tossed aside. But it was not empty! Glittering golden sake poured from it in a stream into the low circular stone trough around Orochi. I recognized that scent. It was the 8 Purification Sake, the same sake that defeated Orochi long ago. I bared my fangs. Now it was time to work! Now we had a chance!_

_Because the barrier was still up, I could not attack Orochi directly. But with the sake, I could do something else to weaken him. The Fire Head belched flame at me. I dodged and the Fire Head roared in fury. As it did, I used the Water Brush to send a gulp of the 8 Purification Sake down the Fire Head's throat. 8 Purification Sake is so potent that a single swallow is enough to intoxicate even a demon as powerful as Orochi. Sure enough, the Fire Head swallowed convulsively, then swung there, dazed. _

_I raced to the next head, the Head of Darkness. It called up a cursed zone that started eating away at my life energy. Two swallows of sake, and it too fell dazed. The Wind Head tried to engulf me with a tornado as I was fighting the Darkness Head, but I managed to evade it and pour sake down its throat. I had to move quickly, lest the sake's effects wear off too quickly. _

_I thought that perhaps I would have to get all of the heads drunk, but it seemed that three was enough. With a great crash, Orochi's eight heads collapsed onto the ground. Excellent! But the barrier was still up, so I could slash away all day and not leave a scratch on his scales. I had to get that barrier down, but how? Issun was hopping up and down on my head yelling about the bell. The bell? My frantic thoughts stilled and focused. The bell! Of course! I leapt onto one of the heads and clambered up to the bell. Kushi cowered down among the stones. Part of me wanted to grab her and take her to safety, but speed was of the essence. I did not know how long the effects of the sake would last and as long as Orochi was alive, he would keep hunting._

_I slashed at the bell with my Divine Instrument and felt the barrier weaken. Then, it shattered! The bell burst into the flames and the floating shrine crashed into the ground. The barrier was no longer standing and Orochi's tails were pinned down by the weight of the shrine. That was the good news. The bad news was that the shock of the barrier breaking and the shrine's collapse woke the heads. _

_A somersault landed me in front of the Earth Head. It lunged drunkenly at me, then slammed its head into the ground. The shockwave sent of earth and rock flying into the air. I leap over it, then poured more sake down its throat. The Earth Head wobbled and collapsed. I slashed it with my Divine Instrument until it stopped moving, then raced to the next head, only to be engulfed in a cloud of poisonous fumes. My eyes watered and I could hear Issun coughing. I called on my Galestorm and blew the fumes away. The Poison Head roared and also fell victim to the sake and my Divine Instrument. _

_A beam of intense light turned the stone next to me into molten slag. I leapt out of the way and snarled. The Head of Light roared and tried to sideswipe me with its jaws but I flung the sake into its face. Choking, the head fell and my Power Slash took care of the rest. I barely had a second to savor my little victory when lightning bolts slammed into the ground. I yelped and darted out of the way. Too close! I had no Brushes that could counter lightning. _

_The Lightning Head screeched and lunged, still throwing the bolts. I twisted out of the way, then used the Water Brush to douse the beast in sake. Then I used Moegami's Fire Brush to call flames from the burning bell to the Lightning Head. Sake burns quite well and the Lightning Head fell, shrieking and writhing in pain. Some of the flaming sake spattered onto the Water Head and sent it into spasms that nearly crushed me. Flaming chunks of rock were starting to fall, although I could not tell if they were being spewed by the Fire Head or came from the burning bell. Issun screamed for me to watch out. One of the flaming rocks was coming straight for me! I called on my Power Slash and deflected the rock, sending it into the Water Head's face. The head dropped._

_Orochi's remaining heads shrieked so piercingly that my ears rang. I staggered, panting. The Wind Head's jaws snapped shut inches from my snout. I fired back with my Divine Instrument and spurted sake into its jaws. Before I could attack, I felt the Head of Darkness release another cursed zone. I fell, gasping. I could hear Issun screaming my name, telling me to get up. I snarled in defiance and called on another burst of flame to distract the two heads. The Wind Head, already half-drunk burned, screamed, and started snapping at anything and everything, including the Head of Darkness. The Head of Darkness hissed and snapped back, sinking its teeth into the Wind Head. I sent sake into the half-open jaws of the Head of Darkness along with another burst of flame. Both heads screamed and fell, charred and silent._

_That only left the Fire Head. It sent a burst of flame at me, singeing my fur and obscuring the pool of sake in front of it. I started to call on my Galestorm to blow the flames away when the Fire Head's jaws lunged out of the flames and closed around my hind legs, snatching me into the air. I yelped, feeling the serpent's teeth sink into my flesh. Through the red haze of agony, I heard Issun unsheathe his sword. Orochi suddenly roared in pain. A blast of hot breath that stank of stale blood and fish washed over me as the Fire Head dropped me. Blood poured from the monster's nose and dripped onto the stone. I staggered to my feet, pain lancing through me with every step. The wounds were not deep, but they burned. My Water Brush poured sake into the head's mouth and eyes, blinding and choking it. The Fire Head roared in pain and fury. I took a step back, feeling the hatred pulse through the air. Then, my heart sank as I saw the other seven heads start to rise. They were hurt, blinded, burned, and badly wounded. But Orochi still lived and I felt despair. Never before had I called on so much power or asked so much from my mortal form. My ink was low, I was battered, burned, and bloody. How much more punishment could I take before this beast would die?_

_I sensed a familiar presence beside me and glanced over. Susano stood there next to me, sword in hand. He called on the power of the moon to bear witness the Orochi's demise. A memory stirred in my mind of the pale light shining down on another warrior…I threw back my head and howled as Susano raised his sword towards the heavens. The clouds parted and the gleaming moon shone through the darkness, bathing the world in silver. Shining motes danced around Susano's sword. It glowed with unearthly light, then the wood changed from brown to a gleaming golden hue, and the tiny branch on the middle of the blade burst into bloom._

_Susano leapt forward towards the writhing heads. I funneled what remained of my power into his shining blade as, one by one, he severed each of the heads. Only the Fire Head remained, looking in fear and fury at the decapitated heads of its fellows. The Fire Head rose into the air, roaring in defiance of Susano's power. It glowed red with gathering evil. I started to lunge towards it, but Susano stepped between me and the final head. He said this was his battle to finish. He leapt into the air and cleaved the Fire Head in half, from crown to base. Flames spewed from the split neck and collapsed to the stony ground. I could feel the curse that held sway over Nippon lift and the very earth seemed to sigh with relief. _

_Something white was flung into the air from that final impact. Susano sheathed his sword and held out his arms, just in time to catch the falling white form of Kushi. They gazed into one another's eyes. Susano seemed unusually serious. He said that he had failed the way of the sword because he allowed evil to cloud his judgment, that there was nothing for him anymore. Kushi held him tightly and told him not to look so serious, that he should laugh like he used to. For a moment Susano seemed uncertain. Then, hesitantly at first, then with more gusto, he began to laugh. The tension eased and Susano seemed more like himself. Kushi smiled, and I breathed a sigh of relief. _

_But I sighed a little too soon. Suddenly ominous gaseous purple flames leapt into the sky. They did not burn, but I could sense the evil within them. The inky black silhouettes of Orochi's severed heads swirled amidst the flames, rising together. The sky turned red for an instant, then, a dark cloud with two glowing eyes rose and split into many pieces, flying off in different directions. Then the sky cleared and all seemed at peace. _

_For the moment, at least. I felt uneasy about those blots of darkness, but I felt too tired and pained to think on it further. Issun was bouncing with excitement and urged me to give a victory howl. With a tired woof, I obliged him, feeling a sense of joy and triumph rise with my howl. Even though I did not have all of my Celestial Brushes, even though we went into this fight unprepared, somehow, we'd survived. We'd won. And now, I wanted to go back to Kamiki Village and sleep for about a week. _


	19. Nineteenth Scroll: Peaceful Interlude

NINETEENTH SCROLL: PEACEFUL INTERLUDE

_As we left the Moon Cave, I paused before the great torii gate and took a deep breath of fresh air. I thought I'd never get the stench of demons out of my nostrils. The night sky was clear and shimmered with stars. I whined softly. Kushi knelt beside me and lightly patted my fur, then looked up as Susano and asked him to carry me. I bristled and started to walk away, but a stabbing pain in my leg made me think better of it. Susano hoisted me into his arms and we made our way up the long path to Shinshu Field._

_At the apex, something flashed into the night from the direction of Kamiki Village. Fireworks! Tama was setting off fireworks! They already knew that Orochi was dead? The destruction of such a powerful demon must have sent signs all over Nippon, signs so strong that even the villagers could feel it. My tail wagged and together we hurried to the village._

_Everything is a bit of a blur after that. The villagers surrounded us, hailing us as heroes, Nagi and Shiranui reborn. They took me to the home belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Orange, gave me water and food, cleaned and wrapped my wounds. Issun hovered around me until I shooed him outside. I needed to rest and I knew he would want to enjoy the festival._

_I couldn't lie still for long. The battle with Orochi drained me and I still couldn't quite believe I was alive. I think I dozed for a little while, listening to Tama's fireworks and the sounds of the villagers grow louder as the scent of sake grew stronger. Despite my exhaustion, I couldn't sleep. The salve Mrs. Orange used eased the pain, and I could already feel my body starting to heal. I heaved myself back onto all fours and padded out the door. I wanted to see the festival for myself. _

_I think everyone I had met in Kamiki Village, Shinshu Field, and Agata Forest had come. The Nameless Man, Kokari's father, and, of all people, Mr. Bamboo were sitting around a massive green barrel of sake, tossing back one drink after another. They seemed quite cheerful, although when Mr. Bamboo looked up at the moon, he signed and grew sad…at least, until Kokari's father poured him another round of sake. Nearby, Kokari, Mushi, Ume, and Hayabusa romped in the moonlight, excited about being able to stay up so late. I exchanged sniffs and barks with the pair of dogs, pleased to see that they were looking after their new masters. Hayabusa didn't have a scratch on him from that near-miss with Orochi's arrow. _

_I wandered up to the ceremonial stage and found Mr. Orange and Mushi's mother, also drinking heavily. Her nose was more red than usual and she kept laughing and pointing up at the fireworks. Mr. Orange was so proud of Susano charging after us to save Kushi he started to cry. Mrs. Orange was there too, keeping an eye on her husband as he started to dance. I nuzzled her hand in gratitude for her care and walked up towards the sacred tree, Konohana._

_Above the village, Tama had set up his fireworks near Sakuya's tree. Issun was there watching the fireworks and he hopped onto my head as I approached. When Tama saw me, he boasted of his new firework, and set one off to show me. I watched at the white fire raced into the sky and exploded into three patterns, one of a wolf's head, one of a small Poncle, and the last…I assumed was supposed to be a portrait of Susano, but it looked more like an owl. Still, it was impressive and I barked enthusiastically. I would have jumped, but the twinge in my haunches warned me against it. I approached the tree Konohana and Sakuya's youthful form appeared. I could sense the health, strength, and power running through her again. She extended her thanks to us for helping rid Kamiki of Orochi's scourge, then vanished back into Konohana to enjoy the festival in her own way._

_I lay down and watched the fireworks with Issun for a little while, but my wounds started to ache again. I'd done more walking than I should have. Very slowly, savoring the festival atmosphere, I walked back down in the middle of the village. Everyone was still drinking and dancing. In fact, the only people I hadn't seen were Kushi and Susano…but I decided against searching for them. I didn't want to, ah,_ interrupt_ anything. With the sounds of the celebration floating through the air, I nosed open the door to Mrs. Orange's home, curled up near the glowing embers, and drifted off to sleep. _


	20. Twentieth Scroll: The City Checkpoint

TWENTIETH SCROLL: THE CITY CHECKPOINT

_The next morning, no one rose early and more than one villager nursed a hangover. Issun grumbled and groused when I nudged him awake; apparently he'd had a little too much sake last night. Mr. Orange was still snoring when I munched on one of Mrs. Orange's excellent dumplings and padded out of the cottage. In fact, the only person I saw awake was Kushi, back among the rice paddies. I shook my head with a smile. Her dedication to her craft was unparalleled. _

_I padded on through the still-sleeping village towards Shinshu Field. It saddened me to leave so soon, but my wounds were almost completely healed after a night of rest and, as Issun pointed out, there were still four Celestial Brush techniques that I had not yet found. (He did spend the entire way to the pass complaining about having to leave so early and couldn't we wait a day or two?)_

_As I stepped into Shinshu field, a familiar scent of cherry blossoms filled the air. The air shimmered, and Sakuya's human guise appeared. She seemed sad to see us leave so soon and I whined softly. Orochi had been defeated, something I had not expected to do so soon, but there were still plenty of demons roaming the countryside that must be dealt with, so our journey had to continue. But there was something else…Sakuya seemed…worried. She said that at Orochi's passing, she had seen a black mist rise into the sky. I nodded; I too had seen the mist. But her next words made my blood run cold. She said that within the mist she sensed an evil other than Orochi, something possibly more powerful heading towards the capital city of Sei-an._

_Issun was startled and sounded a little upset at the news. Sakuya apologized for not having better advice or cheery words for us, but wished us a safe and fruitful journey. My fur rippled in the breeze as she vanished and I felt her power retreat back into the tree that was her home. I loped on through Shinshu Field, thinking about what Sakuya had said. I had not sensed another evil, but that mist had given me pause. I would have to be cautious once we passed the City Checkpoint in Taka Pass. _

_I crested the hill and looked down on Harumi Lake. There was no stench of Orochi any longer, and, just as before, there was no sign of the Moon Cave. A strange desire to confirm that Orochi truly was dead seized me, and I found myself running down to the spit of land beneath the spread of the torii gate. To my surprise, as I passed the gate, the sky did not change color. No rock loomed from the waters. The only thing I found at the end of the inlet was a small shrine of a male and female goddess holding hands. The Moon Cave, its shrine, and Orochi's body were gone. I heaved a sigh of relief, and turned away. It was time to go. _

_Some hours later, I found myself at the City Checkpoint at the far end of Taka Pass. The last time I was here, the pair of phoenix statues flanking the bridge were dark and cold, mere stone, which made the guards nervous. Now, however, with the release of Moegami from his icy prison, the statues blazed with flames. The drawbridge that would allow me passage to Ryoshima coast and Sei-an City beyond unfortunately remained up._

_I padded to the edge of the cliff. A deep river ran through the chasm, too far for me to jump and no Konohana blossoms for my Vine Brush. I could go down to the water, but the cliff wall on the other side would be too steep to climb. I growled softly and looked at the two guards. One was dozing, and the other, a tall, slender fellow with a bow, was shooting arrows to the other side of the chasm. There were two guard towers, a few adjacent buildings, and a very large cannon. Oddly enough, even though there were guards on this side, I couldn't see any signs of life or movement opposite. That was strange. What if the bridge needed to be lowered? How would anyone know to do so? During my last visit, I had overheard some customers at a small tea shop talking about how Sei-an City had mysteriously cut off contact with the outside world. Rumors of a plague or some other catastrophe abounded. _

_The twang of the bow must have been louder enough to wake the dozing guard. He snorted, then grumbled at his companion, asking him what he was doing making such a ruckus. The archer said that he was practicing his shots. So far he'd fired his arrows into the mouth of the great cannon fifty-seven times! His companion muttered something about wasting arrows and fell back asleep. I wondered if anyone on the other side had noticed. Perhaps I could get their attention. As the archer fired his fifty-eighth arrow, I called on Moegami's power, drawing fire from the phoenix statue to the arrow. It blazed and fell like a small shooting star right into the mouth of the cannon._

_What happened next I refuse to say was my fault. Because it wasn't. Someone must have left gunpowder far too close to the cannon, for when the arrow landed, the cannon suddenly exploded. The flames leapt to the other buildings and the entire group of garrison buildings started burning, collapsing, and, when the flames reached more gunpowder, they exploded. The shock waves from the blasts hammered into my eardrums, even across the gap. Something struck the winch, and the great bridge started to fall. I scrambled backwards and the entire world shook. When the smoke cleared, the bridge was down and the way to Ryoshima Coast was open. _

_The archer stared and trembled for a moment, then took off running across the bridge saying something about having business in the city. I shook my head to clear the ringing in my ears, then checked on the other guard. He was shaken, shocked, but unharmed. Satisfied that all was well on this side, I crossed the bridge to see what the damage was. _

_The buildings had been reduced to charred rubble, some of which still smoldered. The entire garrison would have to be rebuilt from scratch. But my hunch was correct; there were no bodies among the debris, no signs that any human had inhabited this area for some time. How long had the bridge been up? How long since word traveled between the capital and the rest of Nippon? And the ground beneath the buildings seemed strangely…sickly. I used my Bloom and Restoration Brushes to heal the damage, causing trees and fresh growth to spring up. All signs of the garrison vanished. I woofed with satisfaction at my handiwork. The humans would wonder and be amazed. Perhaps they would rebuild later, but I hoped they would not. The land felt better this way. _

_Issun's hangover had long since worn off and now he seemed excited, eager to get to the city. I thought it a little odd that an artist, especially a wandering one, would like spending time in a city…but then he said he couldn't wait to look at all the beautiful women. I laid back my ears and growled. Still a letch, apparently. I turned my back on the drawbridge and ran on towards the coast. _


	21. Twenty-First Scroll: South Ryoshima

TWENTY-FIRST SCROLL: SOUTH RYOSHIMA COAST

_As I stepped onto the sandy path, I realized that something was wrong. I could faintly smell the ocean, but it was almost overwhelmed by the stench of blood and decay. Spread out before me, the once pristine coastline was almost entirely enveloped by a cursed zone. A large temple bell, part of the high ground, and a narrow path winding along beside a large temple were all that was left untouched. I stared in shock as Issun sputtered out his confusion. But I had killed Orochi. Surely his death would have released the rest of the land from his curse! That was what was supposed to happen…right? I had thought so. Obviously I was wrong. _

_The fact that the whole area was not covered by the curse meant that one of Sakuya's Guardian Saplings must be nearby. The only place I could go was along the path, so I raced around the side of the temple grounds. The temple itself was completely seeped in Orochi's curse. I growled in frustration. Even dead the serpent managed to make my life difficult. _

_Suddenly, a swirl of purple smoke rose in the middle of the path before me and a demon appeared. It looked like a large grey-green statue, hulking and hunchbacked, faceless, and carried the ring-staff of a Buddhist monk in its over-sized hands. The entire apparition, a kind of demon known as a Headless Guardian, reminded me of some kind of large beetle. I lashed out with my Divine Instrument, but the Guardian blocked it with its staff. I leapt into the air as it struck at me and used my Power Slash to stun it. A few quick cuts and the demon collapsed into a pile of purified flower petals. I snorted in contempt at the weak resistance and continued down the path._

_The cliffs rose higher around me, which made me a little nervous. If demons decided to set an ambush, this would be the place, for I was boxed in. Around the next turn, the path ended…but there was a slight crack with a breeze blowing through. I drew a Cherry Bomb and backed up. The explosion revealed a cave on the other side of the wall. There was a small pond filling most of the space, and a ledge I could leap to, like a giant step. The next step also had a pond, but this one was dry, as was the next pond on the next ledge. Each time I used my Waterspout to draw water from the previous pond to ease the thirst of the parched land._

_As I climbed, I rose out of the cave an out onto the cliffs above Ryoshima Coast. A quick glance told me that the cursed zone spread as far as I could see. Had it taken Sei-an City as well? Was that why the capital was closed, to prevent anyone else from falling to the curse? Issun called my attention back to the ground in front of me. I had reached the top of a flat plataue area, which, like the others, was dry and barren. But, in the middle of this dry pond was a small budding Guardian Sapling, like the one in Hana Valley. However, unlike the sapling in Hana Valley, which had been green and trying to grow, only lacking sunlight, this one was dry and limp. I wined softly and nudged it with my nose, but only sensed the tiniest bit of life in its roots. I quickly called water from the lower ponds, filling the sapling's pond, and waited._

_For a moment, the sapling remained dry and brown, but then, it felt the water and slowly began to glow green and rise up again as life returned. As I watched, the sapling drew on the green, life-giving energy from the land around it and grew into a full-sized Guardian Sapling. However, despite its new strength, it still lacked leaves and flowers. A quick flick of my Bloom Brush gave the Guardian Sapling the last bit of power it needed to bloom. As I watched, the cleansed power rushed across Ryoshima Coast in a rainbow blaze of flowers and fountains, washing away Orochi's curse. _

_I took a deep breath and the clean salty sea air filled my lungs. I felt strong, refreshed, and ready to explore. I headed back along the path towards the large temple bell that I'd seen earlier. It reminded me a little too much of the bell I'd used to let Orochi know his dinner was ready, so I steered clear of it and padded up to the entrance of the temple. The sign above it said that it was called Ankoku Temple. I sniffed the air. Strange…normally sacred places were the last to be consumed by the curse; that's why I could always reach Sakuya's Guardian Saplings. But Ankoku Temple had been covered by the curse when I'd arrived. Why?_

_A traveling monk near the gate was sitting on the step, bemoaning his bad luck at arriving at Ankoku Temple while Priestess Rao was away in Sei-an City. I pricked up my ears at that. Perhaps that was the reason the temple had fallen. Without a priest or priestess, even a sacred place could be taken. But a priestess's first duty was to her temple, so why wasn't this Rao here? Perhaps I should investigate._

_By the time I reached the top of the stone stairs, I was panting. Even having four legs did not make the assent easier. Ankoku Temple certainly made its visitors work for the privilege of coming here. The temple building itself seemed quiet and intact. In design, it was very similar to Princess Fuse's abode, set on wooden columns with sweeping gables and a central door. Everything seemed fine…but somehow I felt…uneasy. I heaved myself up the last few wooden steps and nudged the door with my nose. To my surprise, it slid open easily. That was strange. If the head priestess was gone, then the doors should have been locked, or an attended should be watching the place. But inside it was dark and empty. Incense smoldered in a pair of offering pots, and a few candles burned, revealing glimpses of a large golden statue of Buddha. Why hadn't anyone stolen this, or ransacked the temple? Perhaps the cursed zone and the dire warnings about Sei-an City kept people away. That made sense, but my hackles continued to rise. I turned from the dark, unsettling place and left as quickly as I could._

_As I approached the edge of the cliffs overlooking the ocean, Issun tugged on my ear to get my attention. I looked out over the water and stared. There was a massive ship lodged on the rocks. The tattered sails and gaping hole in the side showed that it was completely abandoned, although not completely sunken. Issun said that the ship hadn't been there the last time he passed through Ryoshima Coast. A nearby fisherman overheard Issun's comment and told us that the ship was rumored to be carrying a great treasure, but the Water Dragon had attacked the ship and sunk it. Issun seemed interested at the prospect of treasure, but I had no desire to try to create a string of water lilies over the ocean. There was a tall platform on the edge of the cliff overlooking the lagoon the ship was stranded in, but I ignored it. I had no desire to get closer to it. Like Ankoku Temple, something about the ship made me uneasy. I raced down along the path down to the lower beach, clearing up a few patches of sickly land as I went._

_At the far end of the beach was a massive stone pier that stretched farther out into the ocean than I would have thought human hands could manage. I wondered if ships had docked here to unload goods bound for the capital. Issun said that Sei-an City was not far from here. But there were no ships now, just wandering Demon Scrolls, rabbits, and some stray cats. As I turned to go inland towards the city, a demon appeared, sending a red barrier around me to prevent my escape. I crouched, snarling. It looked similar to the pair of tengu I'd killed in Taka Pass, except this one wore a feminine pink kimono, a straw hat, under which lank black hair hung, and carrying an umbrella with a pair of fans for wings. An ubume. It shrieked a long, wailing cry that sounded rather like a human woman, then dove to attack. _

_I dodged and lashed out with my Divine Instrument. The paper umbrella opened in front of the demon. To my surprise, my weapon was deflected. Then it pulled a sword from the umbrella handle and tried to cut me in half. I dodged, but when I tried to retaliate, the umbrella came up to protect the ubume. This dance continued for a few moments as I tried to get around the umbrella and failed. Angry and frustrated, I called upon my Galestorm, hoping to ground the ubume, or blow away the umbrella. The ubume tried holding onto the umbrella through the wind, leaving it vulnerable. Three quick slashes and the demon was destroyed. _

_The sun was starting to set, and I felt an inexplicable urge to hurry. At the top of the hill, I found a pair of Devil Gates to destroy, one of which revealed a Mermaid Spring. The Devil Gate by the Mermaid Spring was near a closed gate guarded by a pair of soldiers. I probably could have broken through, but that way led to North Ryoshima Coast, and I didn't need to go there. The city lay just beyond the central gate at the top of the hill. After I was sure that no more Devil Gates or Demon Scrolls lurked near the entrance, I stepped through. The path led down a steep slope to Sei-an City. But…something was wrong. There was a strange sink in the air, a smell of sickness and evil. And the city below, tucked into a small valley, seemed to be covered in an eerie green mist. It wasn't the cursed zone; in fact, it didn't smell like anything connected to Orochi at all. But it wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong in Sei-an City. Filled with a sense of foreboding, I padded down the slope as the shadow of night crept in behind me. _


	22. Twenty-Second Scroll: The Cursed City

TWENTY-SECOND SCROLL: THE CURSED CITY

_The stench of sickness filled my nostrils, carried on the green mist that wafted through the air. Everything was dark, grey, shadowed. An oppression lay on the city, pressing down, trying to drive my thoughts and my body into the earth. Through the mist, I could see the crouched, cowering forms of people, hear their moaning cries of despair as they struggled to move, to go about their lives, only to sink down in despair once more. My divine nature was the only thing that prevented me from joining them._

_My fur bristled, and a snarl rumbled from my throat. My power was not being drained by the mist, but it dulled even my holy light. I called on my Celestial Brush to make the nearby trees bloom…but nothing happened. The ink fell, unable to withstand the mist's eerie power. Issun seemed truly shocked. This cursed city we'd wandered into was nothing like the bustling capital he remembered. As we made our way through the city, he became even more subdued at the sight of the suffering around us. I whined softly, hoping to be encouraging, but, for once, Issun had nothing to say._

_A few people were still somewhat unaffected by the mist, and by listening to them, I learned that they were blaming the sickness on the Water Dragon that was rampaging along the coast. There were no fish because the Water Dragon scared them all off. Another odd thing was that there was no water in the city. All of the canals and pools had dried up. That couldn't be good. No water meant that finding anything to drink or wash with or tend the sick would be even more difficult. Many of the other people I passed crawling along in the streets were not only ill, but angry as well. They wondered where their ruler, Queen Himiko, was in their hour of need. They begged for her help even as their railed against her. Issun grew angry as he listened and also wondered why the queen wouldn't listen to her people in their hour of need. I wondered if perhaps the queen was also ill and that was why no one had seen her. However, my first priority was to find a way to bring water back to the city. These people wouldn't last much longer without it._

_I leapt down into one of the canals and started searching. At last, I found a young assistant carpenter, who directed me to the end of the canal. At the end, I found scaffolding and some boards covering a hole. Some kind of construction was going on here. I jumped up to the higher platform and found the master carpenter, who called himself Naguri, raging and stamping about. Apparently Sei-an City was built on Lake Beewa, but the Water Dragon's rampage had caused the underground channel that fed the city canals to become plugged up. The blockage made the water dry up and only Naguri was still unaffected by the mist. All of his helpers were ill, and this job was too big for him to do alone. I sighed. I knew what this meant. Like in Sasa Sanctuary, I would have to follow an old man underground and do an awful lot of digging to release the water._

_Thankfully, this was not as difficult as I'd expected it to be. The earth was soft enough to dig through fairly easily, and a lot of digging had been done before-hand so most of the tunnel supports were in place. When we reached the last rock, I grabbed Naguri by the scruff of his kimono, created a Cherry Bomb, and ran as fast as I could back to the surface. The water roared in behind me, and we watched from the safety of the dock as the canals filled once more. Naguri was beside himself with joy. The return of the water had no effect on the mist that I could see, but at least the people of Sei-an City were no longer in danger of dying of thirst. I left Naguri at his carpenter shop and continued through the city. _

_The next bridge, Issun informed me, led to the Aristocratic Quarter, where the wealthy and well-connected people of Sei-an City lived, including Queen Himiko. He still seemed unusually angry at Queen Himiko for not doing anything about the mist, and the fact that she was a queen at all seemed to be reason enough to dislike her. I shifted uneasily. Once again I wondered if Issun really knew who and what I was. Sometimes he seemed to know, and other times he was utterly oblivious to the fact that I was a goddess, the ultimate queen. _

_Beyond the gate was one of the longest bridges I'd ever seen. The bridge at the City Checkpoint was thick and broad, but this was just ridiculously long. And it didn't even cross the water separating the Commoners' Quarter from the Aristocratic Quarter, and those walls looked too high for me to jump. As I crossed the bridge, something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I paused to look. There, across the bridge to my right, was a faint, swirling cyclone of mist. It was concentrated there, somewhere in the Aristocratic Quarter. My heart sank. Could it be coming from Queen Himiko's palace? Was Issun right not to trust the queen on principle? I shook my head and ran on to the end of the bridge. I could not afford to make assumptions. Right now, everyone and everything was suspect. _

_I did doubt that the strange figure at the end of the bridge, looking into the water and chuckling with glee had ill-intentions. He was very strange, a tall, broad man with a monk's hood and sacred beads, with dozens of weapons strapped to his back. His nose was very large and red and he was prattling on about wanting to catch a living sword to finish his collection of one thousand swords. Quite the collector. This warrior fisherman monk, Benkei by name, refused to pay attention to me or lower the bridge until he caught this living sword, and to do that, he needed a special fishing rod that was white as snow. My ears pricked up at that. Hadn't I seen something like that in the merchant's shop earlier…? I groaned in frustration._

_It took far more time than I wanted to spend to run back, get the rod, give it to Benkei, watch him attempt to fish (he'd never done it before), and, finally, use my Celestial Brush to help him snag the cutlass fish and pull it, glassy-eyed and gasping, onto the planks of the bridge. Did this man not know that the rest of the city was suffering? Did he not feel the effects of the mist? The air over Lake Beewa was a little clearer than in the Commoners' Quarter, but eventually even this would succumb. Oh, how I despised fanatics. But at least Benkei was true to his word and reconnected the bridge so we could pass. _

_That was when I saw you, Waka, standing at the entrance to the Aristocratic Quarter. My heart leapt, although I could not tell if it was in anger or joy. Perhaps I felt joy that you were alive, despite the mist, but I was also angry. You had trapped us with Orochi, sent us into a battle we might not have been ready for and simply sat back and watched. Issun felt some of my rage for he started demanding explanations and throwing accusations at you as soon as we were within shouting distance. But you simply asked what took us so long and said that we had to do something about this mist. The sheer arrogance astounded me. I had been running for days across Nippon dispelling curses, killing demons, aiding the people, reviving Guardian Saplings and nature itself…and here you were telling me that I still had more responsibilities. (Of course, I had already decided to help the city, but I did not care for being told that I must do it, as though I were a mere flunky.) I growled. You obviously had power, so why did you not do something to help these people? Issun was still yelling about how you were responsible for this mist, you and Queen Himiko. His vehemence startled me. Why was Issun so hostile towards a queen he had not met? The people were scared and desperate, and a little angry that she had gone into seclusion, but I did not understand Issun's anger at this. In fact, I felt sympathy for Queen Himiko. If she could do something about this mist, she probably would have already done so, and the idea of you and the queen conspiring to destroy Sei-an City…it didn't add up. Although the sight of the mist swirling up from the direction of the Imperial Palace was rather sinister…although it made me worry that perhaps Queen Himiko could not leave the palace because she was being held captive…or worse. _

_Then you said that you were seeking a path to the heavens…and that this path concerned me._

_For some reason, I thought of the strange patterns in the soil of Sasa Sanctuary's bamboo grove, and of Mr. Bamboo Cutter staring up at the moon. I felt as though you had given the hint to a great secret that we shared…and yet, no image came to mind. No memory flashed into being. Only a deep ache in my heart. I wanted to howl in frustration, furious that you would not speak plainly. I was so angry that I attempted to tackle you…but I met no resistance. I stumbled back, shocked. My attack had no effect. I simply went _through_ you…as if you were a mirage. That silenced my rage and made me sit back and really listen and think. You acted as though nothing had happened, repeating that this evil mist must be dealt with and offering another strange prophecy. This one was about even the tightest defenses having cracks small enough to thread through the eye of a needle. Something in your phrasing sounded familiar…but I could not place it. But both Issun and I were tired of riddles, so I walked past you towards the lecture hall of Priestess Rao, the one people said was the regent while Queen Himiko remained hidden. Did I imagine you turning slightly to watch me as I passed? What did I look like to you? Was I a plain wolf, a wolf that shone like pure snow with flame-red markings along my face and sides…or did you see a shadowy image of my true self? I had no way of knowing, no way of asking. _

_The line of people waiting to hear Rao's lecture surprised me. Why would people dying from the effects of this mist choose to come here to listen to sermons? The reverent way they spoke of Rao and their increasingly angry comments about Queen Himiko's seclusion concerned me. I entered her lecture hall, a dark place filled with shelves of scrolls, warily. _

_Issun and I had very different reactions to the priestess Rao. As soon as I saw her, I realized there would be no living with Issun for some time. The woman Rao was young, beautiful, and very well-endowed. Issun was completely over the moon with her, boasting about how we had defeated Orochi and asking me to give a demonstration of my Celestial Brush. I hesitated. I didn't like Issun chattering so easily and openly about my powers. Something did not feel quite right…but perhaps she knew something about this mist. I would have to humor her and Issun for a while, at least until I figured out what was going on. So I used my Inferno Brush to make the torch flames leap into the air. Rao jumped, surprised and awed. We had her attention, but she still seemed reluctant to speak further, saying only that there was a quest she needed to complete, but it was futile without her Prayer Slips. Of course, Issun urged me to help her, as I knew he would. I decided to keep an eye out for the slips, just in case. Perhaps helping Rao would help me as well. I left Rao's lecture hall and continued to explore the Aristocratic Quarter. _

_There were guards at the gate to Himiko's section of the Imperial Palace. I could not sneak past them and the fences were too high to jump, so I moved on. If no one had been allowed near the Queen for some time, I doubted Rao's Prayer Slips would be there. Besides, I was more interested in the swirling green mist pouring out of another gate. I kept low, slinking around the walls and behind bushes like a thief. More guards were on the other side of the gate guarding the gate that led to Emperor's private quarters. Judging from their talk, he had fallen ill around the same time as the appearance of the mist. Around the time he'd taken ill, the mist started coming from his room. He'd also had a young woman named Kaguya locked up for no apparent reason, something that didn't seem to sit well with the conversing sentries. My ears pricked up at that. Kaguya? Wasn't that the name Mr. Bamboo Cutter kept speaking, the name of someone he loved who was missing? I thought that she was dead, but perhaps… _

_I shook my head. I couldn't worry about her right now. More lives than hers were at stake and time was running out. Who knew how long the city could last? I needed to get inside the Emperor's wing of the Palace. Oddly enough, the mist seemed to be issuing, not from the gate, but from a small crack in a wall beside it. I held my breath and nudged at it with my nose. Unfortunately it was far too small for me to squeeze through. Perhaps Issun could, but I was reluctant to send him in there alone. And, right next to the crack, lay a bundle of slips with prayer spells written on them. Well. How…convenient. I grabbed the slips and ran back to Rao's hall._

_She was overjoyed to see that I had found her prayer slips and told us more about her quest. She was looking for a mystic item known as the Fox Rods to help Queen Himiko dispel the evil from the city. Unfortunately, the ship believed to be carrying this treasure had been sunk by the rampaging Water Dragon. I instantly thought of the ship that lay off the north coast of Ryoshima with its tattered banners and eerie aura. That was the ship, and when the tide went out at the full moon, we would be able to enter it. Rao seemed quite eager to go there with us and told us to meet her at the Moon Turret overlooking the Lunar Lagoon that night when the moon rose. I left the hall and raced for Ryoshima Coast. The night had passed while we were in the city and the daylight was starting to wane. It was impossible to tell time in that cursed place. As I ran, I kept mulling over recent events. Something about the Fox Rods prickled my memory…it made me uneasy. Issun suggested that we snatch the Rods before Rao or Himiko, and I thought that would be a good plan. Issun suspected Himiko of being behind the mist and I was suspicious of Rao, so we both agreed that everyone would be better off if neither of them got the Fox Rods. _

_Thanks to my wolf body, we made good time to the Moon Turret. My strength had reached new levels after Orochi's defeat so it was an easy task to leap to the top, a feat that would have been impossible for me before. Already the sun was setting. I could have used my power to call forth the moon, but I felt weary from all the running I'd already done. Seeing you again, Waka, in Sei-an City, and your sudden disappearance when I left Rao's hall left me tired and confused. Something was off-kilter. You knew things but refused to tell me, and I was weary. Even though Orochi was dead, his curse lingered and no one seemed to be able to fix any of these problems but me, a fallen goddess. You were the only person in a position to aid me, and yet you played games, gave stupid-sounding riddles, and mocked my lack of understanding rather than explaining. So instead of calling the moon and leaping down to the sunken ship, I lay down on the dry planks of the Moon Turret, listening to the wind and the waves and watched the sun set._


	23. Twenty-Third Scroll: The Ship of Ghosts

TWENTY-THIRD SCROLL: THE SHIP OF GHOSTS

_As soon as the last ray of sunlight left the sky, I called forth the moon. Its reflection on the water aligned with a strange crescent marking on the sea floor encircling the ship. And the tide… receded. Well, actually, the tide did not _recede_ in the normal sense. Instead, the waters parted around the ship, forming a circular wall of water with dry land between. It was time. There was no sign of Rao; hopefully she would be too late to follow us in. I leapt from the Moon Turret and swam the last few feet to drop over the edge of the water. The sand was still damp and the ship loomed much larger now that I was close to it. The aura around it was eerie, but free of any curse. I clambered up the rocks that had gouged through the side and bottom of the hull and pulled myself inside. _

_My hackles went up instantly. The place stank of damp and rot and despair. Barring our way was a door with a very nasty-looking seal on it. I could purify living things, but this was not of my ken. We needed an exorcist. As if on cue, the patter of footsteps and flowery perfume warned me that Rao had arrived, much to my displeasure. When she leaned over and spoke so sweetly to Issun and myself, I could not help but stare at the cleavage popping out of her kimono. Could they possibly be real? Human women should not be so top-heavy! But it was no wonder men lined up outside her hall for the chance to hear her lectures. Just watching her breathe was probably fascinating enough for them!_

_When Issun mentioned the seal, I brought my mind back to the task at hand. If we couldn't get through the seal, our journey was pointless. But Rao had an answer: her prayer slips. She hopped on my back (uninvited, I might add) and threw one of the slips at the door. When the paper touched the seal, there was a crackling flash of black and violet energy, and the seal dissipated. Our way was clear. But I still did not want to go deeper into that ship. The curses of the dead were very powerful and even gods had to tread carefully. With a soft whine, I took a step through the door._

_I quickly found that I could not affect ghosts with my Celestial Brush. When time stopped, as it usually did for the Brush to do its work, the ghosts continued to move, making it difficult to target them. I had to rely completely on Rao and her prayer slips. I did not like having to do that. The air was full of death and strange laughter followed us. It almost sounded like children…mad children. The very sound made me feel ill. I wanted to burn the place down with holy fire to purify it, but that could damage the treasure we were seeking. So we had to do this the hard way: on foot. And if the ship seemed large on the outside, it was massive on the inside. Issun seemed to forget about the ghosts when he saw the main hold filled with treasure chests. I was still nervous, flinching and starting at every sound so much that I'm sure Rao thought I had fleas. _

_Rao was good at taking care of the ghosts floating throughout the ship, although all of us had a scare when I broke open a locked chest and a green hand with an eyeball in the center popped out and began to chase us. Rao destroyed it with one of her prayer slips, but it was a close call. After that, I was very careful to jump back from any chest that we opened until I was sure nothing nasty would jump out. None of the chests in the main hold held the Fox Rods, but I got another nasty scare when a ghost that looked like the Spider Queen appeared out of nowhere and swooped at me, bloody fangs gnashing. Rao's prayer slip destroyed the apparition, but it made me wonder if any of my other former foes would appear here._

_The next room was strange, for it had a massive pile of bones in the center. My stomach churned. I'd wondered why there were no bodies throughout the rest of the ship. Something had gathered them up and stripped them down to bone to create this monument…or nest. Something skittered among the bones and a pair of demonic crabs appeared, their sharp pinchers clacking. The larger crab scuttled down, whipping its razor-sharp tail around in a circle. I leaped into the air shattered the larger crab's shell with my Divine Instrument. The smaller crab sitting atop the pile of bones shrieked at the death of its mate and fired several glowing balls into the air. The bud demons in Agata Forest had a similar attack, easy enough to deflect, destroying the second crab. I left the smoking shells behind me and moved on to the next room._

_Unfortunately, I could not see a way to climb any higher. It seemed like there had to be a way to reach higher ground, but I couldn't jump far enough and there were no Konohana blossoms in sight. I paced back and forth for a few minutes, trying to think. The night sky gleamed through the roof, and Rao commented on the beauty present, a beauty that could turn dangerous, for once the sun rose, the cold seawater would fill the ship once again. My ears pricked up. Water! Wood could float so perhaps if the ship was filled once more, I could reach the higher platforms! I looked up at the sky, feeling the burning power of light in my veins and called forth the sun._

_As the light poured into the ship, I heard the great rush of the water crashing down around the cursed ship again. I glanced behind me and saw that the saltwater had filled the passage behind us. Rao seemed surprised, asking if I was the one who had summoned forth the sun. I wouldn't have dignified such a question with an answer, even if I could have spoken. For a priestess, Rao seemed a little dim…or she was trying too hard to act surprised. Either way, I got the urge to dump her, preferably in the water, but I didn't know how many sealed gates remained. I begrudgingly walked back to the water-filled passage._

_I hoped that the water and sunlight would keep the spirits at bay, and I was partially right. When I reentered the chamber of bones, leaping from floating box to piece of driftwood, no ghosts awaited me, but something else did. The crabs that I thought I'd dispatched were not dead. I saw them clicking their scorched claws at me and I growled in exasperation. But before I could attack them, the crabs did something strange. They turned towards each other and somehow…merged, becoming a great, evil-eyed shark. Suddenly, things were more difficult. It lunged at me and I barely leaped out f the way in time. The massive jaws crushed the piece of driftwood I had been standing on into splinters. It roared and lunged again. I slipped, regained my balance, and scrambled out of the way. As long as I remained on the pieces of wood, or on a conjured lily pad, I was safe, but if that thing knocked me into the water, I was fish food._

_I slashed at the shark with my Divine Instrument, but the shells of the crabs had become armor, protecting it. Ah, that could be solved. I quickly drew a Cherry Bomb just above the shark, allowing it to explode on impact. That took care of the armor, and stunned the shark for a moment to boot, which allowed me to slash it in half. The corpse vanished in a shower of petals. I snorted, shook the water from my fur, and leaped across the remaining boxes back to the main treasure hold._

_With the room full of water, I was able to jump on top of a floating barrel to reach a high walkway. The room on the other side of the walkway was also filled with water, but contained a cannon pointing at the far wall. Behind the cannon, now underwater, was a doorway with one of those Lockjaw demons sealing it. Great, that meant I needed an Exorcism Key, and I hadn't found any of those in all the rooms I'd already accessed. I did wonder about the cannon though…perhaps it could break through into another room. There wasn't anything to lose, and another Cherry Bomb took care of firing the cannon. Alas, it did not break through to a new room, but it did bust open part of the wall, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside was the Exorcism Key I needed! _

_Now I had a new problem. The water covered the Lockjaw's gate, and I was not interested in being drowned trying to reach it. The water needed to go, and unless I could see the sky, I could not call forth the moon once again. I sighed, thinking about having to trek back the way I'd come, but then Issun pointed out another passage. It seemed to lead in the same direction; perhaps it was a short cut. He said it couldn't hurt to check it out, so I jumped down from my perch and ran along some floating boxes towards another open chamber, perhaps the place where they placed large cargo. _

_Suddenly a massive green hand encrusted with seaweed erupted from the water! Rao and Issun screamed. I yelped and leapt into the air, dodging it. I landed in the water and began swimming frantically towards a wooden ramp. I didn't think about going back, all I knew was that in the water, I was vulnerable. I had to get to dry land! The huge hand rose above us, just as I reached the ramp. My wet paws skittered on the smooth boards. I barely managed to get out of the way as the hand slammed into the wood behind me. I skittered higher, trying to outdistance it but it kept coming! Luckily its huge size made it slower, so I had a chance. I caught a glimpse of a bulbous green face in the water as I raced past. The hand came again and I tried to Power Slash it, but my blow was deflected, severing the rope holding a large barrel aloft. The barrel fell onto the landing. _

_I leapt to dodge another crushing attack from the hand, but landed on the barrel. I tried to frantically backpedal, but my efforts only sent the barrel into the water. Panicking, I kept running on the barrel, trying to run back to the wooden bridge, but my efforts only sent the barrel towards the far wall. Suddenly the barrel stopped rolling. I saw the seaweed hand coming and jumped as high as I could, landing on a high ledge. I stood there for a moment, panting, shaking from a mixture of fear and relief. Now that I had a moment to breathe, I could see that the barrel had been stopped by a pair of golden hooks, which actually connected to a pair of chains and a balancing winch. On the other side of the wall, between the planks, I could see the room with the hole in the roof, the place where I had stood to call forth the sun. I needed to get back there and call forth the moon once more. Unfortunately, I saw no way off the ledge, except back into the water with the huge hand lurking below the surface. _

_Anger and defiance raced through me. I'd fled from that creature in a panic, nearly getting Issun, Rao, and myself killed because I couldn't think. I'd faced Orochi and won, and here I was shaking like a babe in the face of a pile of animate seaweed? My fear clouded my judgment, but my anger made me reckless. I leapt back into the water, daring the hand to attack me. It rose up beneath me, to catch me, but I was too quick. I used the hand to launch myself higher into the air, landing back on the bridge and racing across it to a new ledge, a higher one that wrapped around the hold and led me back to the chamber with access to the sky. Once there, I drew a crescent in the sky and heaved a sigh of relief as the water receded once more._

_Now I could use the balancing barrels to regain the high ground and return to the massive hold to see if the lack of water had driven off the seaweed monster. It was not gone, but it was weakened. It couldn't move and the billowing cheeks suggested that perhaps it was sleeping. It really did look like a crude face made of seaweed and barnacles. I felt a surge of vindictive fury. Perhaps it was low of me to attack a sleeping foe, but I was scared and angry and wanted to get out of this creepy ship as soon as possible. Rolling a pair of spiked barrels across the sleeping face got the job done, since its hide was still too tough for my Divine Instrument or Celestial Brush to penetrate. Once that was done, I returned to the room with the cannon to collect the Exorcism Key and unlocked the last door. _

_By the time we reached the final sealed door in the ship, I was jumping with nerves. The crab/shark monsters and living seaweed had not been that difficult to defeat, but it was so utterly wrong for them to be here. This whole ship was wrong, a perversion of the natural order. As Rao's prayer slip broke the last seal, I wondered what I would do if the Fox Rods were here. Would I snatch them and run, leaving Rao trapped in the ship? That thought shocked me. I might not like Rao, but leaving a human in my charge behind in a place like this? That sounded like something you would do, Waka, not me. There were many treasure chests, most of which held small demonic hands that tried to grab us until a prayer slip destroyed them. But although there was treasure aplenty, we found no Fox Rods. The only item of note was a strange glowing mallet that Rao said could shrink people small enough to fit through the eye of a needle. Issun and I recalled your words, Waka, at the same moment, and since Rao did not seem interested, I took the mallet. _

_But despite the loot we found, the Fox Rods weren't here, so the main purpose of our trip was wasted. In addition, it was almost dawn, meaning that the tide would return to normal and we'd have to swim back. I climbed up to the top deck of the ship just in time to see the sun rise and the walls of water come crashing down. I sighed. More water. Wonderful. It would be a bit of a swim back to shore, but I could create lily pads if I needed a rest. Which, since I was still carrying Rao, I might have to. Rao didn't make it any easier when she started twisting around on my back, urging me to swim faster. Issun's chatter was distracting me, so at first I didn't understand what she meant, or why she was so nervous. Was she afraid of water?_

_Then I felt it. The swell of water that signaled something else was in the ocean with us. Something big. I began to paddle as fast as I could, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. Issun was still blissfully unaware of the danger. Had he not heard any of the stories from the people in the city and on the coast about the Water Dragon? We were in the water so it stood to reason that…but this was Issun I'm talking about so it should not surprise me. He did get the message when the Water Dragon came up behind us, then lunged into the air with a roar. Rao leapt from my back and danced over the water in bounding leaps towards the shore. The Water Dragon, perhaps attracted to the movement, lunged for her, sending me tumbling to the side, swirling and choking on saltwater. The Water Dragon slammed its head into the base of the cliff, just missing Rao. Then it roared and turned towards us. It was huge! It radiated physical and magical strength…and its yellow eyes gleamed with madness and pain. And I was helpless. There was no way I could fight this beast and win. The ocean was its domain, not mine. I struggled to swim, but there was nothing I could do, except watch as the Water Dragon lunged, its mouth gaping wide to swallow us whole. Then there was only darkness._


	24. Twenty-Fourth Scroll: Source of the Mist

TWENTY-FOURTH SCROLL: SOURCE OF THE MIST

_I awoke on the beach. For a moment I just lay there, breathing, stunned that I was still alive. The problem with taking a near-mortal form is that death is a distinct possibility. I was sure that my life would have ended in the Water Dragon's belly…but apparently I did not taste very good. Or maybe it was Issun. That I could understand. _

_I shook the water from my coat and suddenly the mallet we had taken from the haunted ship sprang into view. Issun was surprised and demanded that we chase after it as it hopped down the beach. I too was a little surprised, although really, mystical objects with wills of their own was not as uncommon as many people might think. I was curious to see where this mallet led, so I followed. As I raced along the beach and then through the streets of Sei-an City, I wondered what the humans around us saw, or if they were too overcome with the pain of the green mist to really notice. On the way, I caught a glimpse of Rao walking back into her lecture hall as if nothing had happened. I snarled. She would be dealt with later. _

_The mallet hopped right up to the crack in the wall near the Emperor's quarters…and stopped. It seemed to be waiting for something. I showed my teeth in a smile. So this was what you had been speaking of, Waka. And now I had the means to enter the palace. Were you on my side after all? Or was this another case of being led around by the nose? I nodded to the mallet. It started to glow bright gold, then rose up and tapped me lightly on the forehead. Oonce, twice, three times…and the world was surrounded in light. I felt the sensation of falling, then of a swift movement forward. I could see nothing. Then, the light vanished and I was standing on the other side of the wall._

_I was not prepared for how…different the world looked. Blades of grass arched high over me forming a green tunnel. Pebbles were now the size of boulders. Even the stalks of small three-leafed clover were taller than I was! Suddenly, I realized that, in this state, I was very, very vulnerable. Animals and insects, which used to be no threat to me, were now potential enemies. How would I be able to fight demons at this size? My hackles rose along with me alarm. _

_So when a voice spoke from right beside me, I automatically couched and snarled, ready to attack. Then I saw who it was. Or rather, saw who it was, up close for the first time. My shrill-voiced companion was none other than Issun! I must say, I had never really pictured him as being anything more impressive than a little green bug. But no, Issun is not a bug. It's easy to forget that he is a Poncle, a member of the race of tiny beings who live in the north of Nippon. Now I could see that Issun was a little man, dressed in a purple tunic and green cape with a broad-brimmed green hat with a pair of antenna dangling from it…which is why, from the top, he always looked like a bouncing beetle. His black hair was pulled back in a short tail and his black eyes sparkled with amusement. At his hip was an ink brush, although, when he pulled it out to demonstrate, slicing apart a falling leaf, it was, in fact, his sword Denkomaru. Rather clever, actually, now that we were the same size. (Although, just to annoy him, I pretended to stop listening.) _

_Closer acquaintance did not make his voice less annoying, even if it did put a face to that bouncing green dot he used to be. Nor did he cease stating the obvious, which made me sigh. And instead of riding on my head, now he hopped onto my back as if I were a horse! I thought about biting him, but at the scale I had been reduced to, the brush-sword could do some damage. Besides, I would need Issun to help me navigate this new world where I could be stepped on at any time and no one would know that they had killed a goddess. Fun._

_Navigating the Emperor's garden was far more hazardous than I'd expected. Huge, clumsy humans, so large that I could only see their feet and legs before they vanished into the sky, tromped through the grass. Each footstep felt like an earthquake. Luckily their movements seemed very slow to me, so I could dodge them, but I kept an eye on the sky, waiting for a massive descending sandal. The small pathways I could follow in some measure of safety had several blocking spiders I had to bypass. None of them barred my way, but that could change at any moment. Those spiders were notoriously fickle and could make my life very difficult. I had a feeling that they might let in me, but would be less gracious about letting me out again. _

_We made it to a series of large boulders looming from a familiar purple-black sludge. The lake (which was probably nothing more than a decorative pond at my normal size) had been contaminated, just like the waters in the Tsuta Ruins. I spaced my jumps carefully to avoid falling in. On the tallest rock, I paused, listening. The sound of a girl weeping floated on the air. I looked around and saw a barred window across the pond. A shadowy figure stood behind the bars, shaking with sobs. Was this the girl the guards mentioned being suddenly locked up by the Emperor? Luckily Issun must have been thinking the same thing I was because he called out to the girl. _

_The crying paused and the shadowy figure turned towards us. I could see the form of a young woman, but she held the sleeve of her pink kimono across her face, as if shielding herself from us. A sweet, young voice spoke, asking us who we were. Issun suddenly became suspicious and asked if she was a monster trying to trick us. Something in my heart ached at the uncertainty in her voice when she said she didn't think she was, that she had simply come to Sei-an City to sell some of her father's bamboo ware. My ears pricked forward. Bamboo? Grandfather? So…was this Kaguya? And was that her relation to Mr. Bamboo Cutter? She was his granddaughter?_

_Issun came to the same conclusion and the girl confirmed it. She seemed both surprised and happy to hear that we knew her grandfather. She lowered her sleeve and the wan light fell across a pale, beautiful face faired by cascades of golden hair. No wonder Mr. Bamboo was reminded of Kaguya when he looked at the moon, for her face held its light. Issun seemed stunned by her beauty, but I did notice something odd. She seemed to have a kind of…bowl around her, encircling her head and attached to a high green collar that looked like bamboo. It was clear, like it was made of glass. I wondered at that…how could she breathe? _

_Issun asked Kaguya why she had been imprisoned, but she did not know. She hadn't broken any laws or stolen anything. She'd spent her entire life in Kusa Village raised by Mr. Bamboo…although she also did not know who she really was, who her parents were or where she came from. The ache in my heart grew. I felt a sense of kinship with Kaguya, a shared loneliness. I knew who I was, but knew little of my past. The memories of my life before I was turned to stone were gone, heard only through the retellings of others. I knew I had fought Orochi before, but only because others had told me so. A slight chill ran through me. Or had I? Had I truly fought Orochi in that fogged time before? Or was I just latching onto those stories to give myself a framework for a life? A sense of meaning and purpose? _

_I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Issun couldn't resist a beautiful woman, so he was already pledging himself to help Kaguya. I almost laughed at the thought of Issun straightening out anyone…especially since I was not big enough to be of any help in a fight. Kaguya seemed worried and embarrassed by Issun's words, despite his reassurance. She told us then that the Emperor had buried a treasure in his garden. That sounded like as good a place as any to start. There had been a small Lockjaw gate we'd passed earlier…With a final word of encouragement to Kaguya, we were off._

_In the next courtyard, I found that brooms were another hazard, swirling up winds and dust strong enough to almost lift me off my feet. After a few close calls with a pair of brooms and some very large (and very smelly) feet, we found the tiny key for the Lockjaw hidden in a small hole in the rock where water dripped through. Issun bounded up and grabbed the key, then we headed back to the gate. It seemed odd that there would be a demonic gate here, especially one so very tiny that anyone bigger than Issun would completely overlook it. The gate led through a small passage into a tumble of boulders. Inside, I could see a pile of freshly turned earth. A Cherry Bomb quickly cleared the way and we dropped down into a new chamber. _

_I landed on top of a seal that looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it. The chamber was huge, at least, compared to us, and was full of Platform and Blocking Spiders. The drop was too far for me to simply jump; the fall would probably kill me, so I made the hazardous descent jumping from the back of one Platform spider to the next. _

_When we reached to bottom, I saw the side of a stone box that lay uncovered by the soil. It too bore a strangely familiar seal. There was a crack in the corner that I widened with a Cherry Bomb. Inside the air was dark and murky. There were several jars, some gems, a lucky cat statue, more spider webs, and, oddly enough, a large red flask hanging from a rope. It was rocking back and forth, like there was something trapped inside it. Something clattered behind me and I spun around. A Blocking spider had dropped down across the entrance! I panicked and Power Slashed it, but the hard exoskeleton repelled my attack. Issun said that there might be something in the flask that would help us. I hoped so, otherwise I would have to try to blast out of the box some other way. _

_I turned back to the flask and cut the rope holding it aloft. The flask landed, then rolled slightly towards us. The opening was just big enough for me to squeeze through, but I almost didn't try. Some kind of white mist was pouring out of it, and I'd had enough of mist for one day. But still, I needed to know, so in we went. It was a little anti-climatic. There didn't seem to be anything in the flask except for a little bit of water and more mist. But this mist, pale and cool, wasn't like the mist outside. This was more…natural. More…comforting, as Issun put it. I had the sudden urge to blow the mist outside. Perhaps it would counteract the poison hovering over Sei-an City._

_The gust of wind I called swirled, magnified by the flask. It picked Issun and I off our feet and flung us from the bottle in a swirl of mist. As we picked ourselves up, part of the roof of the box turned dark and a familiar silver shimmer filled the air. Stars. A constellation! It was…Kasugami…the drunken sheep. Yes, really. No sooner had she appeared then Kasugami took a big swig from the flask slung across her back and fell from the sky to land at my feet. Kasugami staggered to her feet, bleating and belching purple mist. I stared for a moment. This was what a Celestial Brush had come to?_

_Suddenly four imps appeared. I tensed, snarling. How had they gotten here? No demon had ever been able to enter this golden place out of space and time where the gods conversed. Kasugami took another deep swig from the flask, let out an enormous belch of purple mist, the jumped into the air. Time seemed to slow and I watching in shock as she deflected the imps' attacks, sending them flying out of the golden zone. Satisfied, although still unable to stand up straight, Kasugami offered me her power, the Celestial Brush Veil of Mist that could slow down time. Then, she vanished and I felt the Brush's power rush into me. I sniffed my fur, wondering if now I also smelled of alcohol. _

_No matter, now we had a way to get past any Blocking spider. The Veil of Mist wrapped everything in a purple grey haze that slowed down everything except me. I wondered how I looked to the spider…did it seem like I vanished and reappeared on the other side? Or did I just move four times faster than normal? At any rate, the Veil could not be used for an extended period of time, so I had to use it wisely. _

_And as soon as I left the stone box, what looked like a coin wrapped in wind and lightning tried to attack me. It moved too quickly for me to attack normally, but the Veil of Mist slowed it down enough for me to rip it to pieces. With a snort, I started climbing back up to the top of the box. With Kasugami's Brush in hand (or paw, in this case) it was time to track down the source of the mist. I had a sinking suspicion that it might be close to the Emperor. _

_The Veil of Mist made it easy to get past the courtyard full of feet and brooms and into a new area. The water here was also contaminated, but luckily there were pieces of bamboo and bamboo fountains to use as make-shift bridges. After a few tense moments were I nearly slipped and fell, we reached the edge of a window and peered in. _

_Barely visible through the curtains and heavy dark air was the Emperor. He was sound asleep and snoring…and the green mist was pouring from his open mouth. I felt ill. The source of the mist that was killing Sei-an City was the Emperor himself. _


	25. Twenty-Fifth Scroll: Battling Blight

TWENTY-FIFTH SCROLL: BATTLING BLIGHT

_My mind went blank for a moment. How was this possible? The Emperor wasn't a sorcerer, and considering he was ill and asleep, chances were he was completely unaware of what was happening. Could he be possessed by a demon? But why would a demon keep the host body unconscious? If a demon took control of the Emperor of Nippon, it could do a lot more damage to the nation if he was awake…unless the demon wasn't that sophisticated…my head spun from the options._

_Issun's shrill voice urging me on shook me out of my thoughts. He was right; we needed to get inside and find a way to stop the mist. I jumped down onto the tatami mats covering the floor of the Emperor's chamber. I could have just cut through the curtains surrounding the Emperor, but I was afraid that climbing onto him would alert whatever force created the mist that something was happening. Besides, I wanted to get a view from above. Perhaps there were some clues that could be seen from a distance that would vanish if I got too close._

_The downside to this plan was that I had to use a rather haphazard network of Platform spiders to reach the wooden beams supporting the ceiling. I sneezed, sending small clouds of dust flying everywhere. Both Issun and I spent a few minutes choking and coughing, tears streaming down our faces. Once we got our breath back, I started walking very cautiously along the wooden beams, trying not to kick up any more dust. It was filthy up here, full of cobwebs, and the mist was so thick I could barely see. Everything reeked of illness and despair._

_I came to the end of a beam and peered through the murk. There seemed to be another crossbeam that would lead directly over the slumbering Emperor, but to get there, I had to risk using a Platform spider as a ride. It seemed docile enough, but the second I jumped onto its back, it began shifting back and forth wildly. A second spider was just beyond, so I used the Veil of Mist to leap safely from the back of my crazed Platform spider to the next one, and jumped off that onto the beam just before it too started jerking back and forth. _

_Issun gave a cry and I leapt forward without thinking. Something swooshed through the air behind me and I glanced back. A Blocking spider was swinging across the beam, right where I had been standing. If Issun hadn't shouted, it would have knocked me off the beam. A fall from this height would undoubtedly kill both of us. I turned my head and nudged his leg in thanks. Then I turned my attention to the path ahead of me. _

_I knew we were in the right spot because the crossbeam ahead to my right was lined with Blocking spiders, all swinging at different rates. Even with the Veil of Mist, if I did not time my dashes carefully, I would be right in their path when the Brush's power wore off. I watched the spiders for a moment, then drew the parallel lines that called forth my own Mist. Past one…two…the Veil started to weaken, so I called forth more mist and skittered past the last spider. With a sigh of relief, I padded to the edge of the beam and looked down. It was like staring into a green pool, only this did not look refreshing in the slightest. The Emperor was sleeping right below us, his mouth wide open, and his face an unhealthy shade of bluish purple. The stench of the green mist was almost unbearable, like being trapped inside a filthy hospital filled with people dying of gangrenous wounds, bloated with infection. The last thing I wanted to do was get closer to the source._

_So, naturally, I jumped in._

_Yes. I jumped into the open mouth of the Emperor. Into a human body. The things I do to protect Nippon. Luckily, being so small was an advantage; we slide down the Emperor's throat with little trouble and made our way deeper. Since the Emperor was lying down, we had a horizontal path rather than a vertical one, which made me hopeful about our chances of getting out again. However, the entire place was warm, dark, and very, very sticky. The saliva clung to my fur and made me bristle with disgust. The second we got out of here, I was taking a bath. And I'd make Issun have one too. _

_A fleshy "door" blocked the passage, but the four "petals" that made up the door pulled out of the way when I approached. The tunnel on the other side was smaller and darker than the previous one. As I walked farther, the tunnel got taller and the walls turned a darker red. I could see the veins pulsing in those walls, and the air was dank and fouler here, harder to breathe. How much further could we go before we ran out of air? Or ended up in the Emperor's stomach and were digested? Were we any closer to the source? The mist was growing thicker, filling the larger chamber we'd entered. In fact, it was so thick that I stepped off the end of the pathway I'd been walking on and plummeted down towards an unknown fate. _

_Before I could howl in surprise, we landed on a new platform, this one rather large, flat, and fleshy. We didn't seem to be in any immediate danger…but then I saw it. In the middle of the fleshy arena was a katana. It stood hilt up, floating slightly above the ground, and glowed an eerie, unnatural blue. The green mist thickened and billowed above us. We'd found the source of the mist…and it knew we were here. But a sword? I had not expected that. _

_The mist swirled down to the hilt of the sword and coalesced into a set of samurai armor…but there was no body inside. At least a dozen swords were stabbed through the front of the armor, the blade protruding from its back like grotesque spines. So the mist itself was alive, and the sword was the anchor, giving it a hold in the human realm. The armor picked up the glowing blue blade and brandished it. A strange, dark muttering voice rose from deep within the armor, calling itself "Blight" and challenging us to battle. However, as it gave its challenge, it also seemed to give away a weakness. It said that fighting within a human body would be difficult…perhaps Blight could not fight at full strength here because of the potential risk to its host. Without a host, I suspected that Blight would dissipate. That was good to know. Unfortunately, I was also handicapped. I would have to be careful with my attacks; if I was careless, I could easily harm the Emperor and he was just a pawn in this. _

_Suddenly, Issun leapt through the air and struck Blight with his feet. Blight crashed to the ground and slid backwards, its sword still held in front of it. Issun laughed and brandished his own blade Denkomaru in defiance. I was stunned. I was used to thinking of Issun as a harmless and often annoying spectator. But he was always ready for a fight and was putting his own life on the line to help destroy this evil mist, even though he'd never gone toe-to-toe with such evil before. Yes, he'd been with me when I fought Orochi, but Issun hadn't actually fought. He called himself a wandering artist, and he was full of bluster, but here, when the fight got down to his own level, he was stepping forward without a thought to his own safety. I felt an unexpected surge of respect and admiration for the Poncle. _

_But despite that admiration, I couldn't let him fight Blight. It was my duty as the sun goddess to end this threat. I didn't know how well Issun could fight and could not risk him being injured, for we were far from any other Poncles and the Lucky Mallet that shrank us was who knew where. If Issun was injured…I couldn't let him be hurt because of getting caught up in my battles. I refused to have that on my conscience. I grabbed Issun's green cape and tossed him onto my back. Before he could protest, Blight attacked, and all Issun could do was hang on for dear life. _

_Blight was fast. In the blink of an eye it crossed the arena and slashed with its sword Kanakugi. I barely jumped in time. I called forth the Veil of Mist to slow the incoming attacks. In the Veil of Mist, Blight's armor became a ground of thin white lines, like a sketch made of smoke, but Kanakugi remained blazing a poisonous green. I circled around Blight and lashed out with my Divine Instrument, followed by a Power Slash. I hoped to shatter the armor and dissipate the demonic spirit like I had with Crimson Helm. _

_My attack barely stunned Blight. It recovered quickly and suddenly several swords pulled out of the armor and formed a circle of floating blades. They flew towards me. I dodged two, deflected three more with my Celestial Brush, but another came flying straight at my face. Too close, too fast! Issun's blade flashed and the flying sword fell. I let out a bark of thanks, than leapt towards Blight and pulled another Veil of Mist around us. This time I stunned Blight, and, oddly enough, its sword Kanakugi flew out of the armor and spun by itself, as if dizzy. The armor slumped, inanimate. The sword! The sword was the demon! It controlled the poisonous mist and animated the armor to fight. Sometimes weapons that saw too many battles would start to absorb bits of fallen souls and gain both sentience and malevolence. Kanakugi must have been one of those swords and gained enough power to blanket Sei-an City with its evil. _

_I attacked the sword with my Divine Instrument, landing punishing blows on the stained metal. As long as I attacked it couldn't return to the shelter of its armor. Issun hopped from my back and added his own blows to the attack. Kanakugi could not withstand the onslaught. Suddenly, the blade cracked. We both jumped back to avoid the flying splinters of metal. The armor rose into the air and a strangled gurgling cry filled the air, then, the armor and mist collapsed and dissipated. I could feel the air clear almost immediately as Blight's curse lifted. But something felt…off. Blight was gone…and yet…the flight felt…incomplete. Like there was something I'd missed or something else that needed to be done. I walked over to Issun and whined, nudging him lightly with my nose. He appeared to be unharmed and unfazed by the battle that had just occurred. I suppose after facing Orochi when you're the size of a flea, a mite-sized pile of glowing green armor isn't that impressive. _

_I looked around, wondering what was next. How were we going to get out of here? From the sound of things, the Emperor was still asleep. I could hear his snores rumbling even down here. Then Issun made an…interesting proposition. The girl Kaguya was still locked up in the Palace, by order of the Emperor. Rather than waking him up and trying to explain the battle that went on while he slept (which would sound ludicrous at best), Issun suggested taking control of the Emperor's body and making him unlock Kaguya. _

_I confess, I could only stare blankly at Issun. How were we supposed to do that? Neither of us (as far as I knew) had the power to take control of other people. And I really have no way of explaining what Issun did next. I really don't understand how it worked. Issun…bounced around. A lot. And then…everything became vertical as that somehow made the Emperor stand up. Sort of. And then, with both of us still…bouncing…the Emperor…well, sort of stumbled and slouched his way along a walkway towards the room Kaguya was imprisoned in…_

_I know. It doesn't make sense. And it's stupid, but that's what happened. Stop it. Stop laughing! (As if _you_ could have done any better…hmph!) Anyway, we reached the room and heard Kaguya, who sounded distressed at the sight of the Emperor. With him walking around, she thought that we were dead…but Issun (who was somehow able to shout loud enough to be heard from inside the Emperor, reassured her we were fine. Then, he…somehow…made the still-sleeping Emperor reach into his pocket, pull out a key, and unlock the cell door. (No, I don't know how, that's just what happened.) I could hear Kaguya's robe swish as she stepped outside. Issun urged her to get out of the Palace as quickly as possible, since we weren't sure what would happen once he woke up for real. _

_Once she was away and we were back in the Emperor's bedchamber, Issun tickled the back of the Emperor's throat and he sneezed, sending us flying through the air. As we fell, everything became…smaller somehow. When I landed, I was back to my regular size again! Relief poured through me. Being the size of a dust speck had been interesting, but I was much happier being my proper size again. I quickly padded outside, stretched, and threw back my head in a victory howl loud enough to wake the dead along with the snoozing Emperor._

_Naturally there was a lot of fuss and commotion at the Emperor's miraculous recovery. We skulked around in the bushes listening. The Emperor remembered meeting Kaguya and something about a treasure that could let one cross a sea of fire, but that was it. He didn't recall imprisoning her, or anything until waking up just a few moments ago, although he did recall feeling ill. I heaved a sigh of relief. I had no idea why he'd imprisoned Kaguya and was glad that he didn't anymore either. But then he mentioned sending his apologies to Queen Himiko and Issun got fired up again. He was angry at Himiko for not doing anything during the plague and was ready to give her a piece of his mind. I was interested in meeting Himiko as well, but not for the same reasons. With a last glance at the Emperor's chamber, I turned and padded out of the inner palace and back into the city. _


	26. Twenty-Sixth Scroll: The Iron Bamboo

TWENTY-SIXTH SCROLL: THE IRON BAMBOO

_With Blight's evil mist gone, daylight had returned to the city. The very air was now clear of the smell of disease, and replaced instead by the multitude of scents unique to cities. Now it was time to finish bringing the city back to life. Even though Blight was gone, there was still a lot of work to be done. But first, we needed to see Queen Himiko._

_Thanks to the Veil of Mist, we were able to sneak past the guards and climb a massive staircase up to the summit of Queen Himiko's Palace. Getting inside was no problem, but once inside, we met an unexpected obstacle. Despite sneaking onto the elevator that rose far higher than I cared to think about, we were unable to see the Queen. At the top floor was a pool of lava! Yes, lava. And it wasn't an illusion; my singed fur can attest to that. I could swim through water, but lava was something else entirely. I had no Brush that could help me. Even Kazegami's Windstorm was not enough to cool the lava. So Issun and I turned around and snuck back outside. I circled the palace, but found no way to jump or climb the tall tower. We would need to find some other power or talisman in order to see Himiko. Issun was rather put out, but I hardly cared. Queen Himiko's power had not been enough to stop blight, so I doubted she could be of any help to us. Far better to spend my time eradicating any lingering traces of the curse. _

_However, as we left the palace, I saw a familiar figure hurrying towards the bridge leading out of the Aristocratic Quarter. It was Kaguya! I was surprised; I thought she would have left the city as quickly as she could, but she seemed…distracted. When Issun called out to her she jumped, startled, then bowed and thanked us. She was even prettier out here in the daylight, but now I could see that she really did have a glass bowl over her head. That hadn't been a trick of the light. And now that the air was clear, I noticed that she had a very strange scent. I couldn't quite tell what it was like, something light and airy but heady, like some kind of exotic flower, but also cold, like diamond dust. It was very strange, but not unpleasant. Oddly enough, it seemed…familiar somehow, although I could not think where I might have encountered it._

_Issun told her that she should hurry home to her grandfather, for he was very worried about her. Kaguya turned her face away. Then, making a decision, she looked at me and said that she was not actually Mr. Bamboo's granddaughter. He had found her in a bamboo thicket when she was a child and had raised her as his own. She had no memory of her life before then. During her imprisonment in the Emperor's cell, she had thought long and hard and finally remembered something…being in a small, dark room. Now she felt that she had to find that room again, that something from her past was waiting for her there._

_I felt my heart go out to Kaguya. I could understand her plight. Like her, I had no memory of my life before breaking free of the statue of Shiranui, only vague feelings and elusive recollections that told me nothing. I knew who I was, but not where I came from or what my life had been. Kaguya did not even have the security of knowing her true name or purpose. And now, like me, she was remembering _something_, perhaps a clue to her origins. I growled at Issun, hoping her could convey what I was thinking, but he didn't seem to be paying attention to her pain and confusion, insisting that she go see Mr. Bamboo. I wondered why he was so stuck on that point. Kaguya's lovely face filled with confusion and pain, and she shook her head. She said that she had to go find this place and tried to leave._

_I raced around in front of her, blocking her way and barking. I did not want her traveling through Nippon unescorted. The Emperor had imprisoned her because she carried some kind of treasure. What would happen if someone else waylaid her? Issun finally got the message and asked Kaguya to wait in Sei-an City for a few days while we finished reviving the city. That way she would have time to think more and try to remember more precisely where she had to go and, when she remembered, we would take her there. Kaguya seemed both unsure of and relieved by our offer. She agreed to wait, but only if we promised not to tell Mr. Bamboo where she was. At least, not yet. Not until she was ready. I agreed, albeit a little reluctantly and took her to one of the inns Issun recommended, using some of the gold we'd acquired during our travels to pay for lodgings. _

_I spent the next several days in Sei-an City helping the people and the land recover from Blight's curse. I revived the cherry trees scattered throughout the city, much to the delight of Mr. Flower, who I suspected had studied flower-blooming-dance-techniques from Mr. Orange. We also helped a chef (and learned how to conjure a ball of fire in the process), brought medicine to a girl's sick father, aided a kimono merchant, played games with several children, saw the ghost of a man struck by lightning, and spent several long, frustrating nights chasing after a thief who'd stolen (among other things) a glass watch from a samurai, a bag of treats from a young boy, and a hairpin a man planned to give to his sweetheart. I also saw Rao, who congratulated us, but still seemed fixated on finding the Fox Rods, this time to get rid of the Water Dragon. I tried to steer clear of her as much as I could. I wasn't eager to go toe-to-toe with the Water Dragon just yet._

_All of these things may seem small. But faith is made of small things. Small, everyday kindnesses that build and grow and allow faith to spread. The minor miracles that people don't think about brought to their attention. For the gods cannot exist without people having faith in them. Without that faith and praise to sustain us, we fade until we are just stories without power. And if our stories are forgotten, we perish. At least, that is what I have heard. I feel that someday the gods may no longer be able to walk among mortals, so I have done what I can to ensure that people remember these deeds and pass the tales onto their children, for these are the days of both danger and wonder. _

_Five days passed in Sei-an City, although Issun and I hardly rested during that time. There were too many things that could only be done at night. But on the fifth morning, Kaguya told us that she had remembered something else, a Royal Crest imprinted on the floor of the bamboo grove in Sasa Sanctuary. That was where we needed to go. It seemed that, for the present, our business in Sei-an City was done; we had found no treasure or talisman that would allow us to cross the lava in Queen Himiko's palace. It was time to fulfill our promise and escort Kaguya to her destination. Even though I wanted to help Kaguya, I felt strangely reluctant to begin this journey. _

_It did not take us long to reach Sasa Sanctuary. Kaguya rode on my back and we arrived just after dusk. Almost before I halted, Kaguya leapt from my back and raced into the Sparrow Inn. I followed, but was briefly mobbed by members of the Sparrow Clan who tried offering me praise, thanks, and service. I caught a glimpse of Kaguya disappearing down the hall towards the hot springs and grove before I managed to push my way past the eager Sparrows. _

_Once I reached the entrance to the grove, I felt some kind of energy shiver down my spine. There was a heaviness in the air under the scent of the night air and fresh bamboo, some like anticipation…but also sorrow. Something was happening, or going to happen. The moon was bright tonight, turning the grove silver. I reached the part of the grove with the great symbol pressed into the ground, the Royal Crest, as Kaguya called it. Two people were standing in the center. One of them was Kaguya. The other was Mr. Bamboo. I padded closer, not wanting to intrude, but wanting to listen all the same. _

_Both of them were crying, happy to see one another again. But when Mr. Bamboo joyfully announced that they should continue living together, making and selling bamboo, Kaguya pulled away. Mr. Bamboo realized that something was wrong. Sorrow filled Kaguya's voice as she said that she could not live with Mr. Bamboo, her adoptive grandfather anymore, that it would have been better…easier, if he had not been here to see her depart. Mr. Bamboo was stunned. He asked her where she was going, and she said that she was not sure, but the Crest in the earth called to her and she had to answer. It was the only way to find out the truth about her past. She spread her arms and a strange pale glow surrounded her. Before her feet, a similar silver glow formed a circle, then the earth crumbled, revealing a passage into the ground. She stared at the opening as if entranced, then leapt down into the darkness. Mr. Bamboo called after her, but there was no reply. Issun shouted for me to follow her, but I was already leaping. I could feel Kaguya's sense of urgency as if it were my own. _

_She was deeper within where the passage was blocked, digging at the earth with her bare hands. I whined and gently pushed her aside. It would be faster if I did it. Issun told Kaguya to stay back as the dirt flew from beneath my paws. I don't know how long I dug there in the dark, but suddenly my paws scraped against something that wasn't dirt or stone. Something…metallic. I cleared more dirt and felt something like a lever. Before I could do anything, Kaguya was beside me and pulled on the lever. The ground began to rumble, the vibration shaking me deep in my bones. I grabbed Kaguya by her kimono and dragged her out of the tunnel, hoping to reach the surface without the passage collapsing. The shaking intensified._

_A final lunge brought us to the surface, gasping for the fresh night air. I herded Mr. Bamboo and Kaguya away from the center of the clearing, wondering if we'd somehow triggered and earthquake. But something far stranger was happening. The entire Crest was bathed in an intense light and something slowly rose from within that light. It was huge! It stood as tall as the tallest bamboo stalks in the grove, but was thick like the trunk of a tree. Three fins jutting from the sides like the legs of a stool, stabilizing the central stalk. The entire thing was made of metal with strange curved designs etched into the flaking, rusting metal. It must have stood in the ground for years, waiting for Kaguya to return. This…bamboo shoot of iron…it was not of this world. And I, a goddess, trembled in its presence. Kaguya stared in awe and whispered that this was it. This was what had been calling her, the mysterious link._

_Mr. Bamboo was strangely silent. Then he sighed…and told us the true story of Kaguya. Many years ago, when he had come to cut bamboo, this great shoot had appeared and Kaguya, a cold and nearly lifeless child, had come tumbling from it. Then the shoot disappeared back into the ground. Mr. Bamboo and his wife, having no children of their own, nursed Kaguya back to health and raised her as their own. They had kept Kaguya's strange origins a secret, for they had feared that if Kaguya found she was not of this world, she would try to leave. Mr. Bamboo started to weep as he begged her not to go. His grief was so deep that I too started to moan softly. Kaguya started to cry as she tightly embraced her grandfather. She assured him that she had always thought of him and his dead wife as her real family and she loved him very much…but she still needed to go. She promised that she would return, but she needed to know where she had come from, what had happened to her people. Mr. Bamboo said that he understood and that he would wait for her, for she was still his precious grandchild. _

_Issun choked back a sob at those words and I wondered why. Was he thinking of his home too? Grief at Kaguya's imminent departure warred with worry. I feared that perhaps the iron bamboo shoot had sat too long in the earth. Could it still travel? And how? Would she survive the journey, and if she reached its end, would she be able, or even willing, to return? Then Kaguya turned to Issun and I. She knelt and embraced me and lightly patted Issun on the head with the tip of her finger. She thanked us for all of our help and then pulled a small bronzed tablet from within her robes. It had strange symbols carved on it and radiated a red aura that I sensed only I could see. Kaguya explained that this was the treasure the Emperor had imprisoned her for. It was the only thing she'd had for many years of her past, but she needed it no longer. It protected the wearer from the heat of flames. She ruffled my fur affectionately and rose. _

_It was time. We watched with Mr. Bamboo as Kaguya climbed into the iron bamboo shoot, which had one section near the top that was clear like crystal. Green light shown from within and then the three fins supporting the shoot started to smoke. I pulled Mr. Bamboo back as the fins burst into the flames. For a moment I was afraid the shoot was going to explode, but then I saw that the flames were controlled, a steady burst like that of a firework that propelled the bamboo shoot into the sky. It rose, higher and higher towards the moon and stars until it finally vanished into the night. I glanced over at Mr. Bamboo as a single shining tear slid down his cheek. A mournful howl rose in my throat but I held it back. I did not want to make Mr. Bamboo feel any worse. I nuzzled him and he patted my head with a deep sad sigh. I nudged him back towards the Sparrow Inn. It had been a long evening and he needed to get some rest out of the night air. _

_Once he and Issun were safely inside and snoring away, I returned to the bamboo grove. The great Royal Crest that had marked the resting place of the iron bamboo shoot was gone, the ground wiped clean as if it had never existed. I lay down in the center of the grove and looked up at the stars. I felt an overwhelming sense of loss, like a piece of myself had left with Kaguya. She was finally going to find the answers she sought. I was still filled with questions and had no bamboo shoot that could take me to the stars. I was a goddess and this was my land to protect. But I did not belong here. The gods were never meant to walk among mortals. So why was I here? Where was my home? Finally, exhausted and upset, I curled into a ball and fell into a troubled sleep, dreaming of a great iron flute that pierced the heart of the moon, a burning island floating in the sky, and wings made of golden hair._


	27. Twenty-Seventh Scroll: Queen of Sei-an

TWENTY-SEVENTH SCROLL: QUEEN OF SEI-AN

_Mr. Bamboo was in better spirits that morning, so I felt comfortable leaving him in the capable hands (or wings) or the Sparrow Clan. With the fire tablet Kaguya had given to me, we could navigate the pool of lava surrounding Queen Himiko's chambers. The run back to Sei-an City didn't take as long as the trek to Sasa Sanctuary; without Kaguya on my back, I could race as fast as I pleased. By midday, we stood at the crest of the hill looking down on the city. The last time I'd seen Sei-an from afar, it had been covered in Blight's poisonous green mist. Now, the city shown like a jewel of gold, pearl, and coral red. I could see a bay of water behind Queen Himiko's Palace, protected by high, steep cliffs on three sides. _

_But this time I noticed something else. There was something…floating. Just above the right corner in the Commoner's Quarter floated something that looked like a ship, or perhaps a floating shrine. I hadn't noticed it before, since I'd been so focused on reaching the city and then cleansing it. My ears pricked forward with interest. What was it? Could it be connected to Kaguya's iron bamboo? I'd never seen any other man-made structure fly, but Kaguya's craft had used flames and rockets to fly. This just floated serenely above the city like a great cloud. I decided before we went to see Himiko, we would investigate the floating ship/shrine first. _

_Luckily there was a decorative pool of water close to the place where the ship floated. I wondered why no one else in the city had noticed it, or perhaps it was another one of those things half-shrouded in the spiritual realm that only I could see. I created a Waterspout and rode the jet into the sky. The water crested at the right height, allowing me to jump onto the ship._

_It was shaped like a giant spoon with a narrow end surrounded by curving spines and the main shrine-like building set upon the larger end. A narrow path like the stem of the spoon, wide enough for one person to walk, connected the two. Everything seemed to be made of stone and wood, although the circular windows lining the walls of the shrine were made of stained glass, a rare and costly luxury. A man stood guard next to a pair of doors. He wore an odd purple uniform with a tall, black, cone-like hat with a pentagram on it, and carried not just a golden sword at his waist, but also a trident. The upper half of his face was covered by an odd, bird-like mask. Before I could use the Veil of Mist to slip past and explore, he spotted us and called out our names. I stared for a moment, then made my way a little closer and saw that he stood on single-toothed geta sandals…just like you, Waka. I realized then that I hadn't seen you since the bridge, and that was several days ago. Was this your home? Were these your men?_

_The man, who introduced himself as Kamo, confirmed that he was affiliated with Waka. In fact, Kamo was a member of a group known as the Tao Troopers, a special investigative force that worked for Queen Himiko. And that you, Waka, were their captain. The thought astounded me. I had always pictured you as a loner, someone who never bound himself to the rules and regulations of others. That you wouldn't trust anyone else enough to work with them. But apparently that was not so. You had an entire troop under your command, and you answered to Queen Himiko. My heart sank. I confess, I had almost hoped that you were something a little more like me, someone outside the normal laws, like a force of nature, indifferent to the course of humanity. But apparently you were little more than a soldier, and that made me feel… disappointed. As if some of the magic and wonder and frustration you brought with you had drained away. _

_Kamo, unaware of my distress, said that Captain Waka had told the Tao Troopers to expect my arrival and that I was welcome to look around their headquarters. You were off on a mission, but Kamo said that when you were here, you would spend your time behind a great desk with strange images and projections appearing that only you could control. The Tao Trooper's awe of and respect for you was palpable. Part of me wanted to turn around right then and walk away, but another part of me was curious. I wasn't sure how I would feel if you were here, but since you were gone…perhaps I could learn something about you. Kamo kindly opened the door for me. I stepped inside…and froze in amazement._

_The inside of the ship gleamed. It seemed larger on the inside than on the outside but was just one open room. Five columns stood on each side, but they glowed and pulsed white with some kind of strange energy. One wall on the left had a huge screen with strange hieroglyphs and symbols scrolling across it. At the far end of the room, the wall was a single massive stained glass window depicting robed figures with blond hair and wings sprouting from their heads. Several statues of these beings also stood between the glowing columns. The statues were easily half as tall as the room and made of some ivory colored stone. Despite being in the heart of your domain and unsure of your true agenda, I felt…oddly peaceful._

_The huge desk that Kamo mentioned sat just beneath the massive stained glass window. I approached cautiously. Just because I had seen no traps so far that didn't mean that there weren't any, and I wanted to be ready, despite the sense of peace. I could tell that this was indeed where you spent much of your time; your scent was clear. Similar hieroglyphs and symbols scrolled across the desk. They were made of light rather than ink and seemed to float. I batted at them with my paw, but the lights continued to move. I couldn't read any of the strange script, for it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Well…they did seem…familiar somehow, but that familiarity did not grant any comprehension. One of the images did look like a spider and another bore a resemblance to Orochi. Was this some kind of log or bestiary? I didn't recognize the other large pictographs and nothing Issun or I touched on the desk seemed to respond. Perhaps only you could use it; it didn't seem to be secured in any way and the Tao Troopers kept clear, although I did not know if that was out of respect or fear. _

_There didn't seem to be anyone else in the room, except for one other Tao Trooper, who stood rather nervously off to the side. He watched me with wide, anxious eyes as I looked around the hall. When I padded closer to him, he seemed worried. I stopped to see what was wrong. Issun noticed as well and acted as my voice. The Trooper, a young man named Abe, was quite distraught. Apparently he'd been trying to join the Tao Troopers for a long time due to a deep fascination with you. Now, after finally being accepted, he had lost his mask. (I had noticed that he wasn't wearing one, but assumed that was because he was indoors or perhaps of a different rank.) If Abe didn't find his mask, he would be in a great deal of trouble, but since he couldn't leave his post, he asked if we would look for it in the city. He promised to tell us a secret about you if we found his mask. I felt bad for him, for Abe was little more than a boy and very upset at the prospect of disappointing his idol. Although Issun didn't' seem interested, I nodded my assent, unsure if I would have time to locate it in the coming days. I had a suspicion that perhaps the thief Hayazo, who I'd already relieved of several stolen objects, might have taken advantage of the bumbling new recruit. However, Hayazo had a special ability to create elemental copies of himself that could only be destroyed by my Celestial Brushes and the last time I'd caught him, Hayazo boasted that I didn't have the power to take him down again. _

_Still buzzing with questions about where you were and the purpose of the Tao Troopers, Issun and I left the strange, floating shrine and made our way to the Aristocratic Quarter, slipping past the guards with my Veil of Mist to enter Queen Himiko's Palace for the second time. However, at the entrance to the elevator stood a finely dressed handmaiden. She did not seemed surprised to see us, nor did she raise an alarm. Instead, she bowed and said that Queen Himiko was expecting us. That raised my hackles. Did Himiko know that we'd already tried to see her once? Did she want to talk or enact some kind of punishment? Was it a trap, as Issun suspected? Or had she been unaware of our presence and genuinely wanted to meet with us? I shook myself and stepped into the elevator. Only one way to find out._

_The heat from the lava blasted me as I stepped into the room. I glanced at the fire tablet as Issun tied it around my neck. Would this artifact actually work? Would it really protect us? As Issun finished tying the knot, the fire tablet settled against my chest. I felt the heat recede as a red glow surrounded us, flickering along the edges of my vision. I eyed the lava speculatively. I couldn't feel the heat radiating from the molten rock anymore. Taking a deep breath, I cautiously immersed one paw into the lava. _

_It didn't hurt. I felt no pain, smelled nothing burning. In fact, it just felt like hot spring water, warm, but not painful. I pulled my paw out and examined it. There wasn't a mark on me. I took another breath and jumped in, swimming as fast as I could. The lava didn't burn, but I had no idea how long the effects of the artifact would last. I didn't want to be halfway across and have its power run out. Fortunately, we made it to the far side of the very long chamber without incident. I climbed out of the lava pool and shook out my fur. A few droplets of lava spattered, singling the wooden floor and sending wisps of smoke into the air. _

_I padded down the wooden hall through three more doors that slid out of my way as I approached. The last door opened up into a massive chamber. It was as big as the cave in which I'd fought the Spider Queen, only this was made of wood with huge columns supporting the roof and a deep green carpet with gold embroidery along the edges covering the floor. Dozens of candles flickered in the shadows behind the columns and a massive screen partitioned off the far side of the room. The air was thick with the smell of fire, smoke, wax, and cedar wood, and very still, for there were no windows. The room was silent as a tomb._

_Unnerved, I padded down the length of the room, eying the shadows nervously. I caught sight of someone behind the massive screen. It was a woman, but her back was to us. Flame seemed to flicker from her head, perhaps some kind of crown? She knelt before a huge crystal ball wreathed with yellow ribbons set up on a pedestal. Was this the elusive Queen Himiko? She did not move, although she must have heard us. I grew agitated by the silence and crouched, growling. Perhaps Issun was right and Himiko had been involved with Blight's plague…why did she not turn?_

_Then, she spoke, her voice soft, melodious, and full of weight. She addressed us by name, welcoming us. Something about her voice made me rise from my crouch, the spell of eerie silence broken. Issun, however, was far from done. Finally in the presence of the person who he'd been blaming for the plight of Sei-an City, he left fly the accusations and demands. He accused her of knowing about the mist and the Water Dragon, accused her of sitting here and doing nothing while her people suffered, even called her a monster that fed off of that suffering. He was so busy yelling at her that he couldn't hear the quiet sobs. I whined in confusion. It was true that Himiko hadn't been doing anything that we could see to stop these calamities, but I didn't sense any demonic aura. In fact, her aura seemed almost…holy. _

_Issun demanded that she turn and show us her face. For a moment, there was silence. Then, with a faint sigh, Queen Himiko turned to face us, although a green fan still concealed her through the screen. She said that Issun was very harsh with his words, but he was right that she had been rude to hide from us. She then bowed to me and offered her apologies. As she bowed, the screen began to rise. We waited with bated breath, curious and eager to finally behold the face of the ruler of Sei-an._

_She rose from her bow, revealing the most beautiful face I had ever seen. Her features were small, perfectly formed, her midnight-dark hair framing a pale oval face. Even though I had heard her sob, her face was composed with no sign of tears. Her dark eyes looked at us with sorrow and wisdom, the kind that comes from caring too deeply and seeing too much. Her crown held a glowing white orb from which flames danced, but they did not seem to burn, only adorn, and her robes were deep blue edged with red. I could feel the strength of her spiritual energy, like a miniature sun or a small star come to rest on earth. I was awed by her strength…as Issun was awed by her beauty. He actually tumbled off my head to the floor in shock, staring at her. Any doubts he had about Queen Himiko, or any woman, could be washed away by their pretty faces. It's a failing of his. For myself, while I could appreciate her beauty, I was more interested in her sincerely and the deep love she had for her people that I could feel radiating from her. There was no chance that this woman could have conspired with Blight or been responsible for the Water Dragon's rampage. But why had she remained hidden here when her people desperately needed to see her?_

_Queen Himiko explained that her withdrawal from her people, while regretful, was necessary to stop the evil that plagued them. She had spent her time and spiritual energy praying, trying to use the sacred mirror to locate the stronghold of monsters, a place called Oni Island. Unlike other islands, this one would vanish each day at sunset and then reappear the next day in a new location. It was impossible to predict where it would appear next, so any attack would have to take place within a day's time, and transporting an army that quickly was next to impossible. The treasure of the Yamatai Clan, her family, was the great crystal ball which allowed her to see into the future. With it, she could locate Oni Island, but the amount of power necessary to expose it is great, and if the demons of Oni Island learned of her attempts, they would do anything to stop her. Locking herself away was the only way to keep her plan and the use of her power a secret, even though it pained her to appear to abandon her people._

_Issun, now recovered from his faint, said it was a good story, and since she was so pretty, he'd believe it and help out. He leap from my head and tried to jump towards Queen Himiko. But, before he reached her, he slammed headfirst into a red barrier. He fell to the ground, stunned with wisps of smoke curling from his hat. I padded closer and nudged him with my paw. Perhaps it is wicked of me, but I was amused. Queen Himiko hastened to warn us (although a little late) not to approach. The crystal ball not only allowed her to look into the future, but also erected a magical barrier to protect its user. It was her final line of defense against any interference from agents of Oni Island._

_There was also an additional problem. Not only was finding Oni Island difficult, but reaching it was also a nigh-impossible task. A powerful magical shield surrounded Oni Island, preventing anyone from entering. The Water Dragon was the only being capable of penetrating the barrier around Oni Island. Without its aid, we would never be able to enter the enemy stronghold. _

_That gave me pause. From all accounts, the Water Dragon was running rampant along Ryoshima Coast. We'd had a first-hand encounter with the beast and I was not eager to repeat it. Plus, we couldn't even fight the Water Dragon. Not only was it too strong, but if it died, we would never reach Oni Island. But how were we supposed to calm the Water Dragon? Would it even listen to us?_

_Queen Himiko had a plan. She asked us if we would go to the northern coast of Ryoshima and find the underwater kingdom of the Dragonians, a race said to control the Water Dragon. If we could find them and ally with them to calm the Water Dragon, then we would have a chance to destroy Oni Island and save Sei-an City and Ryoshima Coast from the demonic threat. Queen Himiko feared that soon a great army would pour forth from the gates of Oni Island and not even her prayers would be able to stop them. Tears shining in the back of her eyes, she begged for our help. _

_Issun seemed a little unsure; despite her beauty, he still seemed to have doubts about Queen Himiko's sincerity. I had no such doubts. Plus, Himiko was one of the few people who recognized me for who I was and spoke to me as such. I bowed my head and then nodded, signaling I was willing to do as she asked. She smiled at me, relived, and took a key on a silver chain from within her sleeve. This was a border key that would give us access to North Ryoshima Coast, a place that, until now, had been closed to us. She tossed it to me and I caught it in my jaws. Issun pulled the chain over my neck where it clinked against the fire tablet and my travel pouch. I was certainly gathering a lot of jewelry on my journey! Then I turned and loped from the hall. It was time to get back to work. _


	28. Twenty-Eighth Scroll: North Ryoshima

TWENTY-EIGHTH SCROLL: NORTH RYOSHIMA COAST

_At the border, the two guards seemed surprised to see a white wolf bearing the Border Key of Queen Himiko, but luckily they did not question the strangeness of it. As the huge wooden stakes were hoisted into the air, I braced myself for entering another cursed zone. South Ryoshima Coast had a Guardian Sapling that needed to grow and be revived, so it made sense that North Ryoshima Coast would have one as well that needed my help. I just hoped it wouldn't lie within the cursed zone. So far, I'd been lucky._

_But, as I padded through, an astonishing sight met my eyes. There was no cursed zone! The air was fresh and clear, the sea clean, the beaches free of any lingering demonic taint. There were a few Demon Scrolls, but that was nothing I couldn't handle. Even areas free of the cursed zone still had demons. But how was this possible? Had North Ryoshima coast somehow escaped Orochi's curse? Or had it been cleared when I revived the other sapling? I shook my head. It didn't really matter, and I shouldn't question my good fortune. Still…_

_I loped towards the beach, but a sudden burst of light made me jump back in surprise. And there you stood with a cheeky greeting and a comment about how the city air had cleared up quite nicely. I growled softly thinking that it was no thanks to you. Issun's patience had been utterly exhausted as well. He urged me to just ignore you, Waka, and keep walking. I started to do just that, but then you said that you had been the one to clear the cursed zone here on the northern coast. You'd thought about waiting for us, but you couldn't stand seeing the sea defaced like that. _

_I stared and wished more than ever that I could speak. If you had the power to dispel Orochi's curse, why hadn't you been _helping me_?! Did you think it was easy running all over the land healing it, fighting every demon that crossed my path? Why just this place? Why didn't you find and destroy Blight? If you had enough power to dispel a cursed zone, surely you could have aided the people of Sei-an, a lot sooner than I had! _

_But your attention seemed fixed on Issun today. You asked if you could see one of Issun's pictures, since he was a wandering artist. I somehow doubted this was a casual request, but it did make me think. Issun claimed to be traveling with me to learn the Celestial Brush techniques so he could become the best artist there ever was. And yet, in all the weeks we'd spent traveling together, not once had I seen Issun draw anything. Not one painting, not even a single sketch. He had the little brush that was also his sword Denkomaru, but as far as I could remember from the time I'd been shrunk, he didn't carry any other artistic paraphernalia. I looked up, trying to roll my eyes to a point where I could see my tiny companion. Issun blustered a bit and refused to show you anything. I couldn't really blame him…but then you dropped the anvil. You accused Issun of being a fraud…in a round-about fashion. You said that you'd spoken with an old man whose grandson had run away, stealing a painting of a wood sprite and claiming it as his own work._

_You are very clever, Waka. You can accuse without directly accusing, but phrase it in such a way that your meaning cannot be mistaken. Your tone was much harder now, much less teasing than it has been. Something was…off. You almost seemed…upset? Tired? Jealous, even? I would have thought that your little jabs were something to get Issun and I to fight or perhaps start distrusting one another because of secrets. But Issun was upset…and not in the way that someone who is falsely accused would be. I suspected that there could be some truth in what you said, but I wasn't going to let that get between the partnership I had with the Poncle. Everyone has secrets and when Issun is ready to tell me what brought him on this journey, he will tell me._

_Of course, I could not say any of this, but as soon as you vanished in another cloud of light and sparks, I walked on as if nothing had happened._

_This portion of the coastline was especially beautiful. Tall pine trees waved in the cool ocean breeze, I could hear a river and see a waterfall cascading down the sheer rock cliffs, and small islands broke the blue horizon line. There was also what looked like the broken remains of a shrine high atop a plateau that jutted into the sea, but the cliff-face was too sheer for me to climb and too high to be jumped. I would have to find another way up. However, I had bigger things to worry about. Two things, actually. One was the sinister shadowy silhouette of Oni Island lurking offshore. The other was the finned back of the Water Dragon circling the islands. I needed to find the Dragonians. There had to be some clue to their home here on the coast. I would scour the place until I found that clue._

_I was racing along the beach when I heard the voices of children. It sounded like they were taunting someone. There, right on the shore, I saw three children, two boys and a girl, beating a prone form with sticks! It looked like an older rather stout boy, or perhaps a young man lying on the sand, protectively covering his head with his hands. The bullies were teasing, asking where someone called "Porca" was and something about being taken to a castle beneath the sea. The boy they were beating shouted back, saying that it was someone called "Orca" who was the Emissary of the Dragon Palace. That made my ears perk up. The Dragon Palace was where Queen Himiko said the Dragonians lived. Perhaps this boy could help us find them. _

_Either way, those bullies had to go. I rushed at them, growling and snapping. I didn't actually try to bit any of them, but it was enough to scare the wits out of the little brats. They scattered down the beach, screaming and crying for their mothers. I growled, angry at their treatment of a fellow human being. Issun seemed to have come out of his silence and asked the boy on the beach if he was okay. There was no reply. Issun became more and more frantic until I nudged the boy and licked his face. He tasted strongly of fish._

_Finally the boy stood up, yawning. In the midst of the attack, he'd fallen asleep! And while he was very young, he wasn't a boy, more like a young man. He introduced himself as Urashima the fisherman, and didn't seem to remember being mobbed by those children, saying only that he'd been taking a nap. I wasn't sure if Urashima was in denial, or just that dim. Either way, we needed to know how he'd reached the Dragon Palace. I could swim, but I doubted I would be able to hold my breath long enough to reach the bottom of the ocean!_

_Luckily, Urashima did remember. He said that only those who were worthy were chosen to come to the Dragon Palace. When he was standing on the nearby pier, looking out to see, the emissary Orca came and took him to the Dragon Palace. He'd stayed there a long time, and when he left, he hadn't aged at all. In fact, he still wasn't aging, even though his wife was an old woman now. Sorrow flickered across his broad face and I whined softly. As an immortal, I understood the pain of watching those you knew grow old and die while you remained young._

_As night fell, I decided to continue searching the rest of the coast for Demon Scrolls or other people in need while I waited for sunrise. At the far end of the coast, past a small island that held the blooming Guardian Sapling, I saw a Devil Gate. Glad for some action, I charged through and found two statue-like demons similar to the ones near Ankoku Temple. These however had windmill-like protrusions on the backs that allowed them to fly. I used a gust of wind to bring them down then shattered their stone forms with my Divine Instrument. As soon as they fell, a new demon appeared wielding floating glowing skulls like the Black Imps in the Moon Cave. I reflected the deadly beams, then called forth Moegami's fireball, incinerating the demon. _

_With the demons dead and the Devil gate destroyed, a massive tree rematerialized, large enough to rival even the Guardian Saplings. And that's when I heard it. A high, moaning wail that sent shivers down my spine. The grief and longing in that voice went straight to my heart. I looked around, whining. Where was it? Who was it? How could I help? Above everything else, I wanted to make that crying stop. I circled around the tree, looking for the source, and found a small girl. She had been nestled safely at the base of the tree. I wondered where her parents were. But she wasn't the one crying. Instead, she was looking across the ocean to another island I had not noticed before. The moon was high enough for me to see it now. It was covered in thick trees but from the center of the island, rising into the sky to disappear into the clouds, was a tower._

_A small hand touched my fur. It was the little girl. She looked at me with eyes that were a little too old and wise for her face. She asked me if I knew about the legend of Catcall Tower. When I shook my head, she told me. A long time ago, a cat that had turned into a god because it lived so long built the tower and climbed up to watch over the world. But the tower was too high and the cat got scared and couldn't climb back down. It stayed there for so long that it turned to stone and has been crying there ever since. _

_I shivered. This was not a normal little girl. This was a spirit of some kind, perhaps the guardian of this very tree. It was always unnerving when an ancient spirit chose to take the form of a child. Children should never have eyes that old. I nodded my thanks to her and moved away as quickly as I could. She just stood there, staring up at the tower as the long-dead cat's wails filled the night air. I hurried back to Urashima's pier and curled up at the far end of it to wait for dawn. _

_As the first light of the sun slipped across the horizon, I noticed that something was leapting towards us through the water. For a second, I thought it might be the Water Dragon. Issun must have felt the same because he sounded nervous. But as it got closer, I realized it was the Water Dragon at all, but rather a small blue whale with some kind of box or seat strapped to its back. A strange design, like two dragons twining tails was emblazoned on its forehead. The whale floated at the end of the dock and gape-grinned at me. I wagged my tail back. This had to be Orca the Emissary. _

_Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice shouting for Orca. It was Urashima! He came racing as fast as his stubby legs could carry him down the pier. He was shouting, asking if Orca was here to take him to the Dragon Palace. He jumped into the basket, but Orca bucked and slapped Urashima away into the water with his tail. I stared. That was an impressive hit. Urashima splashed down right near his house. I eyed the whale carefully. Would it try to do the same if I attempted to ride?_

_Apparently Orca was here to take us to the Dragon Palace. Issun hopped off my head to get a closer look. Orca assured us of this in his own whistling, clicking language, which, being a goddess I could understand. He also claimed he was much faster than anything else in the ocean, including the Water Dragon. Issun looked back to ask me what we should do, but I was already trying to climb up Orca's slippery side into the basket. It was harder than it looked; I slid back onto the dock on my belly, much to Issun's amusement._

_My second attempt was much more successful, although I wasn't exactly sure how riding in this basket would help us reach the bottom of the ocean without drowning. Issun was excited to get moving and told Orca to take us to the Dragon Palace. But Orca…hesitated. He said that he could not fulfill that wish yet, for there was a test to see if we were worthy. Our task was to find the whirlpool that was the entrance to the Palace, which was currently hidden to keep out the demons. That was the ordeal degreed by Otohime. Considering the reverence with which Orca said her name, I assumed that this Otohime was the ruler of the Dragonians. But finding a whirlpool in this ocean while dodging the Water Dragon? This was going to be fun. _

_I barked and stamped my left paw. Orca obediently turned in that direction and began to swim. I decided if I had to spend my time searching the sea for a whirlpool, I should make a brief detour to Catcall Tower. _


End file.
